BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE FILM. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 200 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA. I AM HONEST!

Bert (Ernest Borgnine) is a retired Hollywood actor who has been estranged from his only daughter Marie (Tracy Nelson) for many years. When she ends up in the hospital following a car accident, Social Services places her 10-year-old daughter, Becca (Juliette Goglia),with the grandfather she has never met. The generation gap is apparent as Bert and Becca try to adjust to their new lives together.

The film feel very authentic. I love how Ernest house looks on the inside and out. It looks like a home you would see in the San Fernando Valley. The cast of supporting players is 1st rate.

Now this film is ABOVE THE AVERAGE HALLMARK FILM. When this comes on watch it. You won't be disappointed. Ernest Borgnine is terrific. He plays against his persona. He plays someone very vulnerable who you just can't help loving.

This Hallmark film has a plot with a different twist. The usual fare of modern movies about Christmas and the holidays is either mostly comedy or is heavily romance laden. Nothing's wrong with either of those, if the films are good (maybe half are, but there have been some very bad films made as well for the holiday season). "A Grandpa for Christmas" stands out for its different plot. Much of the enjoyment of the film is in the unraveling of the title, so I won't spoil that for viewers who have not seen but may want to watch this movie.

All the production values are very good. The cast is wonderful. Ernest Borgnine as Bert O'Riley shows some of the talent that earned him an Oscar, other awards and many nominations over the years. The supporting cast includes some well-known names from movies and TV - Katherine Helmond, Richard Libertini, and Jamie Farr. It's also a look at a young actress in her first major role. Juliette Goglia plays Becca O'Riley, granddaughter of Borgnine. She shows some of her natural talent as a singer and songwriter. She has a beautiful singing voice.

This is a warm, endearing movie about family, hardships on children, mistrust, sacrifice, dishonesty and truth. With many broken homes these days, this film might bring a ray of sunshine into the lives of some. Otherwise, it's a good movie for families and people of all ages - young and old.

Here's a favorite line from the film. Bert is cooking and reading a cookbook. "Blanch the carrots. What the heck does that mean?"

I didn't know exactly what to expect when I sat down to watch this, and I was pleasantly surprised. While this does not hold an awful lot of surprises, it not only has its heart in the right place, but it respects that delicate balance, and remains sweet, never growing sappy. This is one of the precious few films that are entirely inoffensive without going too far in the other direction and becoming irritating. The plot is interesting enough, and it doesn't lose your interest. This is well-paced. The characters are nicely developed, and there aren't any that only have negative sides(with one possible exception). Production isn't half bad. Without being a tragic tale, this does stay close to reality, and really comes across largely genuine(albeit one or two occurrences strain credulity somewhat). The acting is decent enough. Borgnine is great, and the kid is fine. This should get laughs out of most viewers, with its solid mix of silly jokes and a dry wit. The singing is quite enjoyable. This promotes wholesome morals without seeming preachy. I recommend it to everyone who watches Christmas movies. 7/10