The Family Stone

There’s nothing like a good old light Christmas comedy to ring in the season, right? Well, contrary to what the preview makes you believe, The Family Stone was more of a drama and less of a comedy. It was amusing but also very dark. Of course it has its share of funny quotes and laughable moments, but the movie definitely left me with a few tears. The preview makes you think the movie is Christmas version of Meet the Parents, except with Sarah Jessica Parker and an even less accepting family. However, right away you see that the main characters don’t seem to actually be in love and it may not be what you expected. It’s a Christmas movie about a real family, and it isn’t Hollywood sugarcoated by any means.

Sarah Jessica Parker (who remains Carrie Bradshaw to me) plays Meredith, an uptight Manhattan business-woman going home to meet her boyfriend Everett Stone’s (Dermot Mulroney) family for Christmas. In true SJP style, Meredith seems to care more about her Manolo pumps than whether the family likes her or not. Needless to say, the Stone family is NOT uptight in any way possible. The variety of characters in the family is quite interesting. A bad-mannered sister, a sloppy laid-back brother, an adorable interracial gay couple and some less-than normal parents really make this family unlike any other. It is easy for both the family and the audience to notice right away that the couple is missing something.

The only possible weakness this movie had was that it kind of goes back and forth between refreshingly funny scenes and then heavily dramatic scenes. I guess I felt it was kind of draining to go back and forth between the two. However, I still really enjoyed the movie. I’d check it out- but just be forewarned that it isn’t all jolly laughs and giggles around the Christmas tree… at all.

~Lizzzzzzzz