Parents' Guide to

A Belle for Christmas

By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Awful holiday dog story is boring and predictable.

Movie PG 2014 91 minutes
A Belle for Christmas Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 13+

Based on 1 parent review

age 13+

Find a better dog holiday movie.

“A Belle for Christmas” falls short of entertaining, and frankly disappoints on so many levels. From the gold-digging antagonist, to the over-the-top theft of a truck by a kid (yes a kid, where the cops on Christmas Eve), it severely falls into easily predictable plot holes that a 3rd grader could write. The true victim here is the dog, who should have had more screen time than one would think for a dog movie. I’m taking a close guess at no more than 15 minutes in a 90 minute film. Seriously, go watch any other Christmas classic over this. Only watch if bored, or need background noise.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):

Nothing about this family story is patently offensive unless you happen to bristle when your intelligence is insulted. Numerous far superior films are mimicked here -- Home Alone immediately comes to mind -- but it's no use. A bad script, bad acting, and a concept that wasn't fully thought through result in a boring mess. Although Cain convincingly portrays the widowed father of two elementary school-age children, his earnest and warm performance can't save this from its own ineptitude. You'd think the presence of an adorable puppy could save the picture, but the dog is given relatively little screen time, and no amount of furry cuteness could redeem this. The plot overflows with implausibilities, including a plot turn requiring that the family leave a young un-housebroken puppy alone for an entire day, unrestrained, free to relieve herself anywhere she likes and to eat Christmas presents and other holiday trimmings left all over the floor. It's a shock that the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals did not boycott this movie.

Movie Details

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