“The Perfect Holiday” (Yari Film Group)
Imperfect Is More Like It
“The Perfect Holiday” is a Christmas movie that is so non-enjoyable it could give the holidays a bad name. Gabrielle Union, Morris Chestnut and Charlie Murphy are the “stars” of the film, but Queen Latifah and Terrence Howard are also credited with being in the cast. Well they are but just barely. They make “cameo” appearances, and who could blame them for not wanting to take responsibility for this turkey – and I don’t mean the Thanksgiving kind.
Latifah and Howard play a variety of characters in the movie who serve as a Greek chorus of sorts to move the story along. The story concerns Nancy (Union) who is the ex-wife of hip-hop musician J-Jizzy (Murphy). She is the mother of his three children.
Nancy wants to meet a normal guy, and she thinks she has when Benjamin (Chestnut) comes into her life. He tells her he sells office goods, but in reality he is a songwriter and part time Santa Claus. When he ends up selling a song to the man Nancy hates more than any other – Jizzy – things get complicated.
None of this is interesting and most of it is boring. Union and Chestnut make attractive leads but they are trapped in movie hell. There is nothing they can do to pep up the plot or liven up the proceedings. Nothing is fun, nothing is informative and nothing is entertaining.
The only good thing about the movie is that it ends. But not before we have been totally turned off by Jizzy as played by Eddie Murphy’s brother Charlie. We haven’t seen such a waste of screentime since Patrick Swayze’s brother left acting.
The theme of Christmas does nothing to enhance the storyline and the feel good cheer of the season is covered by the stupidity of the script. As for Latifah and Howard they have sense enough to act embarrassed by the whole thing – as well they should be.
The movie is rated PG for mild profanity and some adult themes.
Every holiday movie does not have to be seen and “The Perfect Holiday” certainly fits into the category of those that don’t. There is too much talent in this film for it to turn out so badly. This cast must have owed somebody a big favor in order to be talked into participating in this holiday downer.
I scored “The Perfect Holiday” an imperfect 3 out of 10.
