Review: ‘Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors’
This faith-based biopic, centered around Dolly Parton's autobiographical song, is a heartwarming watch just in time for the holidays.
- I listened to Blue Grass Hymns while writing this review
- It took everything in me to NOT write this in the first person
- I literally cried multiple times while watching the movie
- Dolly and I have apparently both written an essay about why we love Dolly
- Dolly’s middle name is Rebecca
- We both sang solos at church
- We were both raised poor but managed to be fabulous and gaudy
- My version of my “coat of many colors” … and yes that is a cotton field behind me
Considering the seemingly dark state in the world’s current events, Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors comes as a sigh of relief just in time for the holidays. The faith-based “Hallmark-esque” film is not a biopic spanning the entirety of Parton’s performing career, rather it captures a narrow slice of Parton’s childhood during a time when her tight-knit family faced a tragedy that rocked life as they knew it. However, upon discovering the true healing power of faith and love, the Partons’ stitched their family back together like the raggedy coat that Dolly’s mama made for her.
For those of you who are not familiar, Coat of Many Colors is based off of Dolly Parton’s 1971 hit of the same name. The film is set in the gorgeous Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee in 1955. Before the rhinestones and wigs, little nine-year-old Dolly Parton (Alyvia Alyn Lind) was painting her face with “borrowed” watercolor paints and singing solos in her grandfather’s church on Sundays. Dolly, one of eight children (with one on the way), is precocious, ornery, yet every bit delightful. With a family tradition of the older siblings caring for the younger ones, the young songbird is beyond eager for the arrival of Baby Larry. When Dolly’s mother (Jennifer Nettles), loses the baby and begins to withdraw from the family, Dolly stops singing. Dolly’s faith is tested, as well as the relationship between her parents, who always “had more love than money”.
Quotable one-liners matched with earnest performances truly tug at one’s heartstrings.
Pamela K. Long’s script has various subplots that could easily be interpreted as campy and formulaic. However, the quotable one-liners matched with earnest performances, truly tug at one’s heartstrings. Plus, with over 12 million viewers, the two-hour special based on Parton’s autobiographical song was the most-watched film on broadcast networks in nearly four years. If you do not feel ALL the feels, then you might be a heartless sociopath.
Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors will be re-airing on Christmas night and stream for 25 days following its broadcast on NBC.com, NBC apps and Set-Top Box on Demand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAtz9x4OfCo
