Because I’m a sap, I’ll basically watch any sort of Christmas movie that makes a modicum of sense. I don’t tend to have a lot of standards as long as Christmas is happening, and if you’re the same way, I’m sure you’ll enjoy 12 Dog Days Till Christmas. Though this family film aimed at tweens boasts some fairly terrible acting and an overly simplistic plotline, it’s easy to follow and gets points for employing the fabulous Reginald VelJohnson.
Jack Whitley (Vincent Giovagnoli) is a well-meaning foster kid who, through a life of hard knocks, has learned to fend for himself. He’s a smooth-talking salesman when he needs to be, but his slick ways often land him in trouble. Now nearing the end of his time in the foster system, Jack faces some harsh realities. Where will he go when he reaches age eighteen? His real mom is a fairly awful person, and his current foster family is planning a move that will most likely not include him. In order to repent for his latest antics, Jack’s probation officer (the always loveable and teddy-bearish VelJohnson) assigns him to help out at a local animal shelter. The shelter itself is failing and slated to close after Christmas, quickly evoking Jack’s sympathy. He knows what it’s like to be without a home and running out of time, and the plight of the shelter dogs is not unlike his own.
