Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square is a Disappointing Story Framed in a Comforting Vignette

When looking for the perfect Christmas movie to curl up with on a cold night and enjoy with family and friends, Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square might not be the best choice for quality holiday content.

I’ve always found Holiday movies incredibly comforting. When I was younger, I would start Christmas celebrations November 1st with decorations, music, movies, and gingerbread.

There was nothing that brought me more joy than the opening of a classic Christmas movie, where the small town is covered in fresh snow, everyone is bundled up tight, there’s a joyful “ho, ho, ho” from the town center where kids are lining up to tell Santa what they want. It’s like a warm drink on a cold day; there is something incredibly peaceful about curling up for two hours of holiday magic.

This movie, unfortunately, is not the same experience. Dolly Parton’s Christmas on The Square premiered on Netflix November 22nd and the expectation was high, as it is with anything Dolly Parton does. This movie/musical spectacular is based on the stage play of the same name and many elements of the movie reflected that. 

Each ensemble number is explosive with impressive choreography from Debbie Allen and the emotionally charged lyrics audiences have come to expect from Dolly Parton. The dialogue, however, is delivered stiffly at times and at other times slowed down as if the actors are projecting to the balcony seats.

The opening number, “Christmas Is,” is an upbeat ensemble number introducing the main characters of the story and setting the scene of small-town middle America, where every neighbor knows each other and friends are more like family.

This is where we also meet the villain of our story, Regina, played by Christine Baranski, who’s recently deceased father was beloved mayor of the town. Regina is uptight, clearly from the corporate world based on her pantsuits. Regina is followed around by a quiet, shy and submissive assistant, Felicity. 

Regina is facing the entire town’s rebellion lead by Pastor Christian and his wife. As the story continues on, we learn more about the townspeople and their struggles beyond impending eviction. Regina soon meets a homeless woman who is revealed to be an angel sent to change her heart, this angel is played by Dolly Parton.

The standout acting performances of this movie are truly Dolly Parton, playing the angel, and Jeanine Mason, from Roswell, New Mexico, playing Felicity. All of the musical numbers are performed wonderfully, with a very talented cast who have each clearly performed on stage in some capacity before.

The storyline of the movie overall is easy to follow, though side characters being introduced and given their own plot points does begin to muddle the main storyline. For example, Felicity, Regina’s meek assistant, spends a majority of the film apologizing for her boss’  behavior and cowering under Regina’s moods.

Later, she is revealed to be an angel in training, reporting to Dolly and attempting to change Regina’s heart. Once Felicity’s origin comes to light her character opens up and charms Regina, and the audience with her light humor and loving advice. 

While Felicity’s storyline is sweet, and a classic Christmas movie trope, it is revealed too late in the run of the movie to have any significant impact on the rest of the storyline. Although, it’s enjoyable to see Jeanine Mason in a more comedic role, compared to the series storylines of The CW show she’s known most for.

Another issue with the movie is the representation of people of color, there are two secondary characters of color the audiences is introduced to and both are grossly represented as stereotypes of women of color. Jenifer Lewis plays Regina’s childhood best friend Margeline. 

Despite Margeline being the first female business owner in the village as well as the first female mayor of the village, both facts which are only mentioned in passing as she berates Regina’s behavior, she is used only as a sounding board for Regina’s nefarious decisions. 

Margeline is given many prominent leads in songs, which she excels at, though her character is boiled down basically to the fast-talking, tells-it-like-it-is, sassy best friend with a heart of gold. In fact, in one of her first introductions to the audience, she makes a house call for Regina in order to do her hair, and give her a facial, which she does even after being unexpectedly evicted by her supposed best friend.

The other significant character of color we are introduced to is Violet, played by Selah Kimbro Jones, once again another sounding board for Regina’s poor decisions and a smaller version of the sassy, tell-it-like-it-is best friend, and most disturbing at all, is used as a catalyst for Regina’s moral awakening when she tells the story of her mother’s tragic death.

As could be predicted, all the characters in this story have a happy ending. The pastor and his wife conceive a child, Violet recovers from a terrible accident, Felicity gets her wings. And Regina’s tragic past of a teen pregnancy that derailed what could have been a peaceful, small-town life, is tied with a bow when she reveals her child given up for adoption has been in the town all along; the pastor who led the rebellion against her.

Overall, the story is lackluster, production low quality, and performance fell flat. While there were standout performances, the ensemble numbers were executed to a Broadway-level and a majority of the songs could fit on a holiday album without being out of place, the movie as an entirety was disappointing. 

It could be the production value we’ve come to expect from Netflix, or the content quality we know Dolly Parton to be capable of, this was not the kind of holiday movie that wraps you up in a warm and cozy feeling.

What did you think of Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square is currently streaming on Netflix.

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