Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 1, 2016

There's a notion out there, not held by all but out there nonetheless, that life is simpler out in the country, away from the hustle and bustle and particularly in some bygone time before digital technology and mass information transfer only seemed to gum up the works more than ever before. That idea may be true on some level, but humans are humans wherever they may be. Indeed, life in the country -- including the prototypical good, wholesome Little House life -- isn't without its challenges, and they're in some ways amplified if one considers every factor, including logistics and intimacy of community circles. The challenges of decades-gone rural Tennessee life is captured in Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors, a family friendly yet fairly honest snapshot glimpse into the famed musician's childhood. Death, bullying, poverty, marital struggles, and tests of faith all make it sound more like a soap opera and less like family television, but the made-for-TV movie is every bit as sincere and clean as it can, and should, be. Charming but raw, peppy but melancholy, entertaining but valuable, the film is less a biographical glimpse and more an outlet for its audience to maneuver through life's difficulties. The movie metaphorically takes the hand and leads viewers to a better state of mind for having experienced its true-life ups and downs and learning from what it has to say about faith, family, and dreams.

A nine-year-old Dolly Parton (Alyvia Alyn Lind) lives with her ever-growing family in Tennessee's Smoky Mountains. She's a good kid, aspiring to be somebody someday. She has no qualms about putting on too much makeup and singing before the church, much to her mother's (Jennifer Nettles) disapproval, at least as far as the makeup is concerned. But Dolly is persistent in dreaming big, and her mother supports her in those dreams. Her father (Ricky Schroder) is, on the other hand, a fairly cold and distant man who lives and dies by his crops and refuses to step foot in church, waiting outside while the family takes in Sunday service. When family tragedy strikes, Dolly's parents find themselves growing ever more distant, and she dreams bigger than ever. Can faith bring the family back together, or will the world's challenges be too much to mend crumbling bridges?

Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors is a spiritual film through-and-through. It's not so much a "this is what happened" movie as it is a gentle reminder of life's challenges and, for some, the answers to those challenges that can be found not in escape or wealth but in family and faith. It's not the sort of movie that one would expect to find these days beyond the direct-to-video Christian bookstore shelf or, maybe, on Hallmark. The film originally aired on NBC in December 2015, perhaps drawing an audience thanks to the name attached to it but winning its audience over with its clean messaging and positive outlook on life. It's tender, well made, and sincere, qualities that can be attributed to many movies but not often together. It makes for a nice break from the loud spectacles and lewd comedies and should find favor with audiences in search of a positive message and that is not afraid to shed a tear in the process.

The film plays to its simplicity in production, too. It never speeds much beyond a couple of key locations -- the family home and the grounds around and the local church -- and its intimacy aids the story and themes, allowing them to blossom with attention paid to core characteristics rather than a larger sprawling world around. The movie never seems to want for a larger budget, either. It's again a product not of frugality but rather focus, a film that finds its path by accentuating its core instead of dillydallying around a periphery it need not traverse. Performances are very good, too. Alyvia Alyn Lind as a young Dolly Parton is the unequivocal highlight. She's charming but wise for her age, determined but tenderhearted, the perfect compliment to the movie and with a million dollar smile and, yes, she looks beautiful in that coat, too. But one could argue that the film's central figures are her parents, played by Jennifer Nettles and Ricky Schroder. Their challenges in life, marriage, and faith play central to the story and their ups, downs, and evolutions are both realistically scripted and portrayed. Schroder is particularly strong as the faithless father whose journey is the most rewarding in the film.

Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors feature a good, honest 1080p transfer. The movie was digitally photographed, and the transfer reflects the source's cleanliness but never appears overly glossy or flat. Details are impressive across the board. Skin is appropriately complex, clothes likewise reveal plenty of finer stitch and material complexity, and some of the rustic qualities around the frame -- old wood, hay in the barn, a rusty truck, brick façades -- are appreciably well textured. Colors are healthy. Neutrality and vibrancy are excellent, whether lush green grass or attire, particularly the movie's title garment which is a resplendent assortment of various shades jumbled together into what is more a tasteful smorgasbord than it sounds. Black levels hold deep and flesh tones are fine, though the image does push just a hint of golden-bronze reflecting its period. Noise is minimal and no other serious source or encode blemishes are immediately apparent. This is quite a handsome presentation from Warner Archive.

Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors belts out a good all-around DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The movie's needs aren't many, but the track delivers a pleasing little bit of clear and enveloping listening for the duration. Surrounds don't carry a regular load, but church song flutters into the back on a couple of occasions, both at the beginning and again in the final act. Likewise, applause inside a small one-room schoolhouse encircles the listener in an early film shot. Winds blow through a few times to good effect. Music is clear and detailed with a dominant front side presentation. Dialogue is the primary component in the film. It plays with stage commanding clarity, consistent prioritization, and firm front-center placement.

Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors contains three extras. The disc also features two cuts of the film: Original Movie (1:25:11) and Alternate Version (1:25:19).

• Coat of Many Colors: Bringing the Song to Screen (1080p, 6:52): A quick look through the story and the casting process.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 9:36): A collection of scenes presented lumped together with no identification or option to play individually.
• Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors - Come Visit Georgia PSA (1080i, 5:15): A discussion of the advantages of shooting in Georgia.

Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors is a beautiful little film, not in the typical big production snazzy sort of way but rather in its heart, intimacy, and purpose. A movie that espouses traditional values, explores real issues, and engenders hope, it's a faith film fit for the whole family. Warner Archive's Blu-ray is solid, delivering attractive video, quality audio, and a couple of decent extras. Recommended.