I'll Be Home for Christmas

The film opens with Jackie Foster, a busy ADA, managing her daughter Gracie's schedule with military precision. Her world is upended when her father, Jack, returns after a three-year absence following the death of his wife. Jack, a retired detective who prefers life on the road in his motorhome, brings along Nose, the K9 partner of his recently deceased friend, Sully. Jackie's current boyfriend, Rand, is a wealthy investment banker who constantly tries to manage her career and image, even ordering for her at restaurants. Meanwhile, Jackie has a 'meet-cute' conflict with Mike Kelly, a detective who accidentally takes her parking spot; she later learns Mike was mentored by her father. The plot thickens as Jack becomes involved in a local case where a teenager, Luke, is accused of stealing a wallet. Jack, suspecting the boy was framed by a career criminal named Willy Kelso, uses his old detective skills and Nose's K9 instincts to find the real culprit. Simultaneously, Jackie is volunteering at a historic firehouse that serves as a homeless shelter, only to discover that Rand’s family company, Midland Development, plans to tear it down for profit. Rand lies about his involvement, claiming he missed Gracie's concert to handle 'business,' which Jackie later discovers was actually a meeting about the demolition. Tensions peak at a gala hosted by Rand's parents, where Jack and Nose cause a scene, leading to a heated argument between Jackie and her father about his past abandonment. However, after Mike provides Jackie with evidence of Rand's unethical conflict of interest regarding the firehouse, Jackie confronts Rand, ends the relationship, and realizes her father was trying to protect her. The film concludes with Jack deciding to stay instead of heading to Mexico, the firehouse being saved through legal action, and the family celebrating a 'messy' but happy Christmas together, complete with Jack finally giving Jackie the dollhouse he promised her decades ago.