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Parents' Guide to

The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Holiday sequel lacks zest but still has merit for families.

Movie PG 2010 89 minutes
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THE DOG WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS VACATION follows on the heels of the heartwarming original, but comes up a little short in both emotion and entertainment value. Sure, the chronic misfortunes of the likable "villains" are good for some laughs, and George and Randy's infighting will ring true with viewers who have experience spending the holidays with obnoxious relatives, but overall, this movie lacks both sugar and spice.

The good news is that if you're inclined to tune in with your kids, you won't have to worry much about the content. There's some potty humor (farting and mention of wetting pants, for instance), mild suspense, and marginal language (one instance of "damn" and some name-calling like "jerk"), and the movie's overuse of the resort setting's name makes it feel like a commercial for Keystone, but other than that, it's fairly tame and acceptable for families. Young kids may need some reassurance about a positive outcome when Bella's held hostage by the robbers, but the movie's messages about family ties and seeing past appearances are worthwhile for all ages.

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