In the spirit of films like Meet the Parents, only backwards, Sarah Jessica Parker, a conservative Meredith Morton, who spends the holidays with her boyfriend Everett's, Dermot Mulroney's, hippie liberal family.
Diane Keaton, who plays Sybil Stone, the matriarch, is, as always, delightful, funny, and great in her part, as is all the family. Rachel McAdams never ceases to amaze me with her vast array of characterizations- this time, she plays the bratty youngest sister, Amy. Luke Wilson plays Luke Wilson, who apparently is a stoner ladies man of sorts. Tyrone Giordano plays the deaf gay son, Thad, who has a black boyfriend, played by Brian White. (all we need is someone in a wheelchair, and we have an after school special.) Elizabeth Reaser plays the pregnant sister, Susannah, who's there with her daughter, Savannah Stehlin. Craig T. Nelson randomly completes the crazy family as the father, Kelly Stone.
All in all, I would love to have this family as my in-laws. But of course, I am far from a conservative buisiness woman, who apparently, hippies prey on. The story sets up that Amy already dislikes Meredith, and the rest of the family follow suit quickly. Amy is absolutely horrible to her, more so than any spoiled little sister should be, and sends Meredith on a spiral through a hellish weekend. So hellish, that she has to call her sister, Julie, played by Claire Daines, in for backup. And to make it even more ridiculous, Everett starts falling for Julie, and Ben (Wilson) falls for Meredith.
Take their love quadralatiral, add some illegal psychlotropic substances, and a bunch of bad plot twists, and get the train wreck that is this movie. And the ending is ALMOST acceptable... until she gets back off the bus (SPOILER- after the whole fiasco, Julie leaves, Everett chases after her, she says it's ridiculous, it won't work, gets on a bus, the bus drives away... and then, the bus stops, and she runs back off... gag me.) Then it turns into Stepmom meets the ending of any Disney movie.
Definately the chick flick of the season, all of you who obsessively watch Sex in the City will want to run out and watch this holiday film. For all the men, and whatever women are left besides me, be sure to miss this one. It's a shame, because some of the performances are pretty good, but this will definately make you more pissed off than anything else. Overall Grade: D+
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