By Geno McGahee
The holiday season is upon us and Lionsgate is releasing CHARLIE’S CHRISTMAS WISH on DVD, Digital and On Demand. The film surrounds a dog named “Charlie” that was basically on death row for dogs at the animal shelter, but he is spared when Jimmy (Walker Mintz) adopts her and brings her home.
Jill (Toni Hudson), Jimmy’s mother, gets the news that her husband, John (Aiden Turner), is coming home from military service. Charlie, the dog, talks. I have never liked talking dogs and it takes away from the film, but not enough to kill the film. Charlie talks to God and makes a wish and God responds and basically takes care of the little rascal.
John gets home and he’s not adjusting very well. Even though John initially wants to get rid of Charlie, the two begin to click. Charlie is the only thing that John seems to be getting along with. There is a certain tension at home with his wife Jill and a failure to completely connect with his son. The life in the Marines overseas has left him with some baggage.
CHARLIE’S CHRISTMAS WISH tackles the tough subject of homeless veterans and the PTSD that they have to cope with. Despite this being a very light holiday films, it makes it a point to showcase the failures in our society of properly dealing with and taking care of the military when they return from overseas and what demons that they have brought with them.
This film is a mixed bag. If the dog didn’t speak, I would have liked this one a lot more, but other than that, it was interesting and the message was good. I recommend it.
