“The Family Stone” (20th Century Fox)
“The Family Stone” has everything going for it – funny lines, heartfelt emotions, good actors, and the appropriate holiday flavor. Still the pieces do not fit and what could have been wonderful is only mildly entertaining. It has amusing and touching moments but overall this is a movie that fails.
Sarah Jessica Parker is Meredith, the uptight girlfriend Everett (Dermot Mulroney) is bringing home to meet the family at Christmas. She is very nervous about meeting them and well she should be as they have already decided in advance they do not like her.
The two most against her are Everett’s sister Amy (Rachel McAdams) and his mother Sybil (Diane Keaton). The one who best accepts her is Everett’s brother Ben (Luke Wilson). Things get so bad during the visit that Meredith calls her sister Julie (Claire Danes) and asks her to come visit there too.
Obviously Julie has no life of her own because she hops a bus and is there in a flash. She is everything Meredith isn’t and soon Everett is looking longingly at her while his brother Ben is putting the moves on Meredith.
If all this wasn’t enough plot for one movie, a family tragedy is also inserted. This takes the film over the top and bogs it down in Hallmark land. It also helps destroy any credibility the movie might have had.
All of the actors are good in their roles, but as written they just aren’t believable. Plus the film is so determined to pair everybody up you would think Noah’s Ark was parked down the road and was having everybody over for a sail.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and some sexual situations.
It is great to see Diane Keaton back on screen but this role wastes her talent. Craig T Nelson has also been missed but his talent isn’t used to the fullest either. The film requires a real ensemble cast but no one gets to shine even in a contributing way.
“The Family Stone” looked great in the trailer but the entire package turns out to be a gloppy dramedy that bogs down halfway through and never recovers. So much for truth in advertising.
I scored “The Family Stone” a related 5 out of 10.
