while "Christmas on the Square" is average, the singer's influence over the story is the grabber; with the charm and endearment of the musical numbers, audiences can be lulled into contentedness
Dolly is a historically great songwriter, a terrific entertainment presence and a good actor. But even she can't save the movie; This is a song-and-dance version of the holiday transformation story. It's just not a particularly good one
Christmas on the Square lets the viewer kick back and indulge in all things Parton; The plot follows a predictable journey.. But there is plenty of winking wit and the handful of eye-rolling moments can be excused because it's Parton and it's Christmas
"Christmas on the Square" is a sparkly holiday tree of cliches; The acting is over-the-top, and the plotline has as much subtlety as Dolly’s bedazzled platform boots, but its larger-than-life theatrical nature makes it even more enjoyable
by Richard Roeper [Chicago Sun-Times ]
by Bill Goodykoontz [Arizona Republic ]
