I understand that there is a need for conflict to tell a good story but, the days of the “dog-catcher” as the bad guy is so 1960. The entire story around Stan Cruge (Christopher Lloyd) is so unrealistic that talking dogs and Santa’s Workshop seemed believable by contrast.

            That aside the story shoves enough feel good homilies down your throat to fill your stocking for a decade. I thought the story showed promise but the writers took every shortcut they could find and cheapened the story with slight of hand and stilted dialogue.

            With the talent they had involved, Lloyd, Tom Bosley (Santa Paws), George Wendt (Santa Claus), and even Tim Conway (Sniffer) this should have been a great Christmas movie. Some younger kids may enjoy this but be warned; one young girl was hiding her face every time Cruge showed his face on screen.

            One and a half stars out of five ~ Bob LaPierre