A Doggone Christmas (2019 TV Movie) User Reviews

Love at Christmas

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 4 August 2020]

Lifetime's Christmas films are very inconsistent. There are some surprisingly good ones, where regardless of their predictability they manage to succeed in being light-hearted, charming and undemanding fun. But also some failures (though not often as bad as the worst of Hallmark), where the characters are not likeable, everything is forced and shallow with implausibility too in some of the worst cases, the acting and writing being weak and basically with just nothing to them.

'Christmas Unleashed' is neither one of the surprisingly good Lifetime Christmas films or one of the failures in my view, though that is not going to be the feelings of all that like or dislike it more than me. If anything it's in the middle of the pack category, being watchable with nothing really to be offended by, it's cute and there are a fair share of good things. While also not having an awful lot that is exceptional, and generally 'Christmas Unleashed' needed a stronger story and a different male lead to work a lot better than it did.

There are quite a number of pluses. It's nicely shot with some nice picturesque scenery. Vanessa Lachey struck me as very likeable and had a lot of charm about her. The other cast standout is an amusing Jayne Eastwood, who brings some welcome levity to the film. The dog is absolutely adorable.

Furthermore, there are moments that do warm the heart and are charming. The music doesn't etch in the memory unforgettably, but it is pleasant and fits at least.

Unfortunately, there were also quite a number of minuses in 'Christmas Unleashed'. Christopher Russell doesn't look comfortable in the male lead role and doesn't seem sure of what he was doing or what was going on. He and Lachey's chemistry is non-existent but it lacked spark. The supporting characters are very sketchy and only Eastwood stands out out of the supporting performances.

Writing sounded rather forced and the flow doesn't feel smooth enough, it can be very cheesy and the more sentimental moments are close to mawkish. The story is very thin, lacks freshness and tends to feel very stretched out, so the film can feel rather dull and padded. It's also rather repetitive and some things are either underdeveloped or completely forgotten about.

Overall, not awful. Not great. Just okay-ish. 5/10

Nice telling of their story

[Jackbv123 · 7/10 · 20 December 2019]

The movie is a retelling of the relationship of Max and Becca (and Henry) from when they met until they parted years ago. It is told with flashback scenes and montages. In between they search for Henry who isn't lost so much as deliberately leading them around to bring them together. Smart dog, huh? When the story isn't doing one of those two things, then Max and Becca are pining together over their lost past. The story doesn't have any surprises, and little tension, but it is told nicely.

The leads have good chemistry. They dominate the screen time which means the movie is more about relationship than story. The acting is mostly good.

BTW: why do so many reviewers assume all Christmas romance movies are Hallmark? The Lifetime logo is all over the movie and the promo photo.

Cute movie...

[lauralynnkelso · 7/10 · 19 April 2020]

With the amount of stress and uncertainty that is going in the world right now (COVID19), this was a nice film to watch...even in April. It's what I would consider a fluffy movie. No major drama, no nudity and no swearing. It's a film where it shows a community really taking care of each other and loving each other. Sweet film! Side note: Someone had mentioned in their review that the movie showed two married men and because of that, it was not a family friendly movie. I can attest that it does show a lot of married couples who love each other so, if you're cool with that, great! Again, sweet film.

Rekindling a romance over a missing dog

[phd_travel · 6/10 · 26 December 2019]

A rekindling of an old romance makes a typical story with bit of a dog thing thrown in. He is a vet and she is a lawyer who moved away. The pushy family is quite funny. They fall in love again as they look for her missing dog.

There is some diversity included in this holiday movie here. The lead actress Vanessa Lachey is half Filipino. There is a same sex couple in town.

Boring boring boring.

[doctorsmoothlove · 1/10 · 22 January 2020]

"Christmas Unleashed" at least has a great title. The rest of the movie doesn't offer much entertainment value. This was one of Lifetime's 2019 Christmas marathon movies and one of two films featuring Christopher Russell as Max as a Hot Guy. Vanessa Lachey as Becca is the leading lady. At least we haven't seen her in a Christmas film in a few years.

The plot is a bit strange. Becca comes home from her busy law as a New York corporate lawyer to North Carolina where Max now works as a veterinarian. Becca stays with her grandmother because her parents are dead. The movie does this without any justification and the plot point is quickly dropped. It is almost as if it was put into the script for its cheap sentimentality.

Becca has a dog named Henry who goes missing. Becca asks Max to help her find him. They nearly do several times as we see flashbacks of their past relationship. We are supposed to feel that these two had a great relationship until Becca went to New York. Yet these two characters are so bland and uninteresting that I didn't feel anything for them or care if they got back together. It's just another story of one person wanting to leave a small town while the other doesn't and the small town has everything anyone could want. Yawn.

It doesn't help that the actors aren't given much to do. I do think that Lachey and Russell are alright together. Russell can do better and did in Hallmark's "Mistletoe Secret," itself a bad movie. At least there he got to be a movie jerk. Here he is just a Hot Guy who is too handsome to have remained single for as long as he has.

Henry is sort of found several times. At one point, they see him on security footage and don't go after him. It is almost like Henry has a spell on them. I feel like if he were a child and not a dog the plot would be easier to accept. Henry cannot have agency here.. because he is a dog. They don't even use "Christmas magic" to explain it. I didn't hate this film but it was very boring. Only a moron like me doing a Christmas movie challenge should watch it.

Hotness and Doggies!

[adamjohns-42575 · 6/10 · 4 February 2021]

Why on Earth would anyone ever leave Christopher Russell? Not only does he play a nice character, but he's drop dead gorgeous. He should be much more famous and actually he's more yummy and adorable than even the dog and that's saying something, because Henry is superb!

The story is slightly different at least, but I don't think I would stop until my dog was found, like these two frequently do after Henry has run away. He's a clever dog leading them a chase yo bring them back together.

I'm also not sure why they think it will work all of a sudden when she was quite happy to leave him for her career before. However, it does annoy me that once again the city resident is expected to return to the sticks for the other ones love. It never goes the other way.

I did like the hot gays in it though, they both usually play bigger parts so it was a surprise that they didn't feature very much here and a disappointment because Casey Manderson is one of my favourites.

It's not a terrible story and the hotties make it watchable, I'd be happy to watch it again, but I'm in no hurry.

Overacting ham

[teebear817 · 1/10 · 16 November 2020]

Beauriful actress, but a real ham actress. Overacts and over smiles(a Hallmark tradition) in EVERY SCENE. She would benefit mightily my watching Jimmy Stewert in Rear window. He was a master of the subtle reaction. She overacts in every scene. And instead of out looking for her lost dog as I would do, she's sitting around smiling and smiling and smiling, and reminiscing, while the dog could be killed by a car any second. Crap movie with All the Hallmark traditions; shes a bigshot in her career, , the 5 day growth on the mans face. Has to make a fateful deciaion. Yawn, zzzzz. Same old stuff, just badly acted.

Christmas Eve Romance

[rhondagorz · 10/10 · 22 December 2019]

Loved it. From beginning to end. Loved Vanessa. Total charming.

Not Family Friendly

[jill-79808 · 21 December 2019]

It was okay until the introduced the 2 married men. I guess Lifetime feels they need to include homosexuals in all their Christmas movies now.

Skip this one.

Okay movie

[dianamarinelli · 6/10 · 2 December 2020]

This is not the best but not the worst lifetime film I saw but it was predictable most of the time and the dogs were the only saving grace

Winter storm boring.

[librau2 · 4/10 · 12 December 2019]

We've watched all the Christmas movies this season to date. However, this one is boring and cheesy even by holiday movie standards. I wish Lifetime and Hallmark would make fewer movies but have better scripts with better actors (w/o hideous facelifts please) and competent direction. And for god's sake, quit spraying deciduous trees with fake snow!

This movie has it all

[druatlax · 10/10 · 19 January 2022]

What would make a good story? ::: A matchmaking Golden Lab.. A perfect hometown at Christmas. Family and Friends. A gorgeous, caring Vet. A petty city girl coming home for the holidays..... and a decent, funny, good plot line, perfect story. This movie has it all.

Names of movie include "Christmas Unleashed" and "Doggone Christmas". Christopher Russell in one of his best... Best of course, always includes "Mr 365", "Nature of Love", and "Love in the Forecast". Recommend these all.

Even Vanessa and Nana and a cute dog can't save this one.

[rebekahrox · 5/10 · 10 December 2019]

Other than the charming Vanessa Lachey and a cute Doggie, this entry in the Hallmark sweepstakes has nothing much else to recommend it. Big City girl comes home to her small town for Christmas with her beloved pooch that she kind of co-owned with her hunky ex-boyfriend. The boyfriend is the local vet, who also owns a mountain top property which is also a rescue facillity. He is also wealthy due to he invented a revolutionary wheelchair for dogs. My God, this guy is fictionally perfect. Christopher Russell plays the boyfriend and he is so handsome he looks like he stepped out of the pages of a Vanity Fair Men's Cologne ad. Unfortunately his mesmerizing looks are not matched by his acting talent. His expression never changes. The only thing I see behind his eyes is bemusement. "Where am I? What am I doing?"

The story is boring and repetitive as the dog leads the two to place after place that were milestones in their courtship in an effort to reunite them. Also cheering for the happy reunion is the vet's annoying mother (let's follow them!) and Vanessa's Nana. Nana is the only other bright spot in this effort. I love the actress who plays her. She never fails impress.

Simlpy Awful!

[gl_productions · 1/10 · 21 December 2019]

Obviously not written by a dog owner.

The main character's dog ran away, but she (the dog owner), is so wrapped up with the intrigue of an old romance, the dog becomes much less important; almost not relevant to the story.

The acting is actully descent, but the script is insulting.

Puppy love

[OddlesOfNoodles · 5/10 · 17 November 2020]

Loved all of the dogs! It was an ok Christmas movie.

Finding your Calling and the Importance of Life

[tdryf · 10/10 · 13 January 2020]

This was my favourite Christmas movie this season. I loved how the love that had been put aside for the pursuit of goals and dreams was deep and lasting. There was no blame. The chemistry was so natural and believable. The ending was not forced. Living in the moment is hard at the best of times and Becca and Max did so well. Becca and Max were so beautiful with each other and love wins out in the end. Max's insights about life not being about winning or losing but being a great team are so endearing. My favourite line comes near the end when Becca is with her Grandma and says she has had the best Christmas Eve. So often these things are assumed but not spoken. It was great that she could acknowledge what was so clearly portrayed. The families were endearing. Diversity is always welcomed. Henry was one smart dog, This was the perfect Christmas movie for me because it made me smile and laugh. I have watched it several times.