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A Golden Christmas 2: The Second Tail
Common Sense says
- NR
- 2011
- 90 minutes
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that A Golden Christmas 2: The Second Tail, like its predecessor, is really more of an uninspired romcom than the dog movie promised on the DVD cover. Yes, there are cute golden retrievers, and while they do tend to move the story along, the movie is much more about former lovers on the path toward rekindling their love in time for Christmas. There's some drinking, a little bit of mild cursing, and a scene with implied sexual content between a long-time married couple. Parents looking for a movie where dogs are the main focus should look elsewhere.
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What's the story?
Rod (Bruce Davison) and Catherine (Alley Mills) have moved to Florida to retire with their golden retriever. Catherine meets their neighbor Lisa (Julie Gonzalo) who also has golden retrievers. Catherine learns about Lisa's failed relationship with David, who just so happens to be befriending Rod at the same time on a nearby basketball court. While it seems to everyone that Lisa and David should get back together, David is engaged to be married to Kelly, a shallow and materialistic snob. It is up to Rod and Catherine, a tween girl and tween boy experiencing their own version of "puppy love," and, yes, the golden retrievers, to work together and figure out a way to bring back the love that still remains between Lisa and David, just in time for Christmas.
Is it any good?
Like the original, this is far less about the cute golden retriever puppies on the DVD box, and far more about a mawkish and predictable romance between two lost-and-found lovers. At its core, the film is an uninspired romcom with no laughs and not even much to do with Christmas. The actors make the best with what little they have to work with, but families expecting a movie primarily about cute golden retrievers will be very disappointed.
Even without the misleading packaging, A Golden Christmas 2 would still be not good. There's an "amateur hour" feel to the movie that will leave the audience (and especially kids) bored. There are plenty of entertaining dog and puppy movies out there that are better options.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about dog movies. How does this movie compare to other dog movies?
Judging by the cover of the DVD and the title of the film, was this movie what you expected? Why do you think the marketers put puppies on the cover?
Movie details
- On DVD or streaming: November 1, 2011
- Cast: Alley Mills, Bruce Davison, Julie Gonzalo
- Director: Joe Menendez
- Studio: GAIAM
- Genre: Romance
- Topics: Cats, Dogs, and Mice, Holidays
- Run time: 90 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.