| THIS CHRISTMAS |
 2007 - USADirectors: Preston A. Whitmore II
- Reviewed by Vickie
Yes, I’m a sucker for these types of movies, so perhaps I’m a little biased, but I sat through This Christmas loving every single character onscreen and hoping that the fictional Whitfield clan would somehow be able to adopt me once their holiday shenanigans were finished. The Cliff’s Notes version of the myriad stories that unfold goes a little something like this: family matriarch Ma’Dere Whitfield (Loretta Devine) and her long-, long-, long-time boyfriend, Joe (Delroy Lindo), are preparing to have the entire Whitfield family home for the holidays. “Baby” (Chris Brown) is a high-schooler still living at home, but his older brothers and sisters converge from all across the U.S. There’s housewife Lisa (the brilliant Regina King), whose wealthy but asshatty husband (Laz Alonzo) seems disliked by all; actress Kelli (Sharon Leal), single and successful... but lonely; on-leave marine Claude (Columbus Short), who’s hiding a secret; college co-ed Mel (Lauren London), who brings along her new boyfriend (Keith Robinson); and prodigal son Quentin (Idris Elba), the eldest sibling and perhaps the most troubled of the lot. An assortment of supporting characters orbit the proceedings, but the heart and soul of the movie come from the Whitfields. All of the actors are people I’ve enjoyed in other projects, and seeing them all together here was a nice treat. Elba, King and Leal get the meatier material, and Lindo’s Joe provides a wonderfully solid anchor when his character could have easily devolved into an eyeroll-inducing saint. The weakest acting link is Brown, but that’s likely because he’s still a newbie and his main purpose in the story is to sing, anyway. Now, the movie is not without a familiar collection of clichés and plot devices (Baby has the voice of an angel! Lisa takes a stand! Claude shocks the family... who turn around and surprise him right back!), and there are a few missteps (did we really need TWO full-length performance numbers from Chris Brown? or a closing sequence that starts out fun and crazy, but then drags on and on and on much longer than necessary?), and the filmmakers go out of their way to make sure ALL the characters—even a pair of brutal thugs—are likable, but overall? It’s enjoyable seasonal fare suitable for the whole family, and a refreshing change from the usual crass Christmas offerings of late. Deck the Halls, Christmas With the Kranks... I’m looking at you. |
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For me, the hallmark of a great family-based holiday movie is the
family itself: are they likable? lovable? endearing? wildly flawed?
eccentric? funny? heart-warming? More importantly, when the film draws
to its inevitable feel-good conclusion, do I find myself wishing I were
a member of that family? If the answers to all those questions is yes,
the filmmakers have struck gold...at least as far as I’m concerned.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, The Family Stone
and, now, This Christmas, are my most-recent faves.
