I looooooove holiday movies and this is the best time of year for movies on television. One of my favorites that has been on quite frequently is The Family Stone. It exemplifies the chaos and love that surrounds a family during the holidays. And better yet, it illustrates the difficulties a newcomer might undergo when being introduced to a significant others large fanatical family.
Uptight workaholic girlfriend, Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker), accompanies her boyfriend, Everett (Dermot Mulroney) home for the holidays. Only one member of his family, his youngest sister, Amy (Rachel McAdams), has met Meredith. Amy’s first impression of Meredith wasn’t that great and she did not forget to warn the rest of their family.
From Meredith’s annoying cough to her lack of skill at charades, Amy makes Meredith’s life hell. Amy and the rest of the family make Meredith feel so uncomfortable that she finds it necessary to stay at the local inn. On top of that she forces her easy-going sister to come join in the festivities.
Unfortunately for Meredith her sister fits in much better. At the family dinner topics arise and criticisms fly against Everett’s gay, deaf brother and Meredith’s conservative views are at fault. Everett’s brother ends up taking Meredith out to a bar to cool down only to find her in his bed the next morning. Cue the crazily entertaining family drama! In addition to the Meredith drama the Stone family finds out that their mom’s cancer has returned and she isn’t going to be with them much longer. Sybil (Diane Keaton) is the strong, outgoing head of the household that keeps the family going so the return of her cancer is surprising and devastating.
The Family Stone will have you feeling a mix of emotions. One second you will be laughing, another you’ll be crying. I definitely think of this movie as a chick flick but guys will enjoy it as well. The only thing I don’t like about this movie is the love story twist at the end. It is incredibly awkward and cornily played out. I also don’t really care for Dermot Mulroney who plays Everett, he is just not an appealing actor in this film.
In contrast, the women in this film are strong actresses and completely make the movie. Rachel McAdams plays the annoying and bullying younger sister and does a fantastically realistic job at it. Sarah Jessica Parker has the conservative uptight workaholic act down along with that incredibly annoying cough that will drive you nuts. Diane Keaton plays a strong fun-loving mom and wife who doesn’t let it bring her down.
The Family Stone is an excellent Christmas movie that shows the ups and downs of togetherness during the holidays.
i thought the first 45 minutes of this movie were a lot better than the last half. It kinda took a turn for the unexpected and really sucked the energy out of the movie. but overall it was okay.