The last thing I thought I might need when going into this comically advertised film was a box of tissue and I’m not talking about tears of joy here! The Family Stone is your average Christmas movie about a family and their dysfunctional ways. However I was expecting a light hearted comedy like Home for the Holidays and instead got a very gloomy story of how unkind and vindictive family members can actually be to each other. Dermot Mulroney (Wedding Date, My Best Friends Wedding) plays Everett the eldest son and for Christmas is bringing home his uptight girlfriend Meredith, Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex in the City, whom I normally can only tolerate for short periods time, but actually quite enjoyed in this film) to meet the family. When they get there they find that his family has already made up their mind to hate poor Meredith and begin to pick on her and push her buttons to no end until she finally ends up moving into a hotel! Amy, the rebellious younger sister, (Rachel McAdams, Wedding Crashers, who has amazing eyes and allows you to see everything she’s feeling in them) is the absolute worst out of them all with her completely immature behavior which brings Meredith to tears and allows Parker to show off some serious acting stripes! When things get worse Meredith calls upon her sister Julie (Claire Danes, always remarkable) to join her for moral support. Throw in Diane Keaton and Craig T. Nelson as the parents along with Luke Wilson and Ty Giordano as the other brothers and you have a brilliantly cast ensemble. The film touches on many different levels of your heartstrings which above all include love, knowing when you are with the right person and knowing when to let someone go. The Family Stone was directed by Thomas Bezucha with a chic sense of style. Although I did enjoy this film and all it has to offer I was expecting a comedy and ended up with a truly heartbreaking subplot that has you reaching for hankies. If you can keep this in mind I do think you will benefit greatly from this film. The Family Stone has a great deal of dialog for the visually impaired but I would recommend MoPix for some of the scenes where emotions are showed in very visual way, in body language and facial expressions.
(20th Century Fox)
Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker, Dermot Mulroney, Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Luke Wilson, Craig T. Nelson, Elizabeth Reaser, and Ty Giordano
