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Wednesday, 08 February 2006 |
  There is certainly no shortage of movies about large, dysfunctional families, and movies about those families coming together for the holidays are only slightly less common. The Family Stone does not exactly present anything new to the genre, but it does boast a wonderful cast of charismatic actors and ends up as an enjoyable watch, despite being a rehash of so many that have gone before.
The Stone family is a large group raised by children-of-the-60s Sybil (Diane Keaton) and Kelly (Craig T. Nelson) in true flower child fashion, where the children address their parents by their first names and are encouraged to think in a way that is freeing on the surface, but somehow covertly stifling. When son Everett (Dermot Mulroney) brings his girlfriend Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker) home for Christmas, the rest of the family can hardly contain their hatred of her. After all, Meredith is uptight, insecure and driven by her work. She can't manage to open her mouth without saying something offensive. If she would not try so hard to avoid saying offensive things, she would do much better.
The greatest obstacle for Meredith is Everett's sister Amy (Rachel McAdams) who is the only family member to have already met her. Amy can't stop talking about her hatred of Meredith and her annoying throat clearing habit. With the eventual appearance of Ben Stone (Luke Wilson), Meredith finally finds someone who she can feel a little more comfortable with. That's not to say she stops putting her foot in her mouth. Her refusal to accept that Sybil had raised her family, hoping all her children would be gay leads to the biggest blowup of the movie. Before long, Meredith asks her sister Julie (Claire Danes) to join her for the holidays as a form of moral support in enemy territory.
What saves The Family Stone from being yet another run-of-the-mill dysfunctional family comedy is the wonderful cast. Sarah Jessica Parker comes across as more sympathetic than completely annoying as she tries, too hard, to get the Stones to like her. Dermot Mulroney effectively walks the line between the corporate type he seems to be becoming and the liberal ideals he was brought up with. Diane Keaton and Craig T. Nelson are perfectly at home as the parents of this family which, like them, is not nearly as "together" as they would like to believe. Claire Danes plays the most temperate character, stuck in an uncomfortable position between the Stones (who adore her instantly) and her sister, who she understands and sympathizes with, but doesn't entirely like. Luke Wilson plays the same character he has done so well before. His portrayal of Ben is quietly amusing and insightful and one of the more interesting of the movie. Rachel McAdams has the most colorful character as the somewhat goofy and emotional Amy.
There may be better movies to see, and there are certainly more thought provoking ones, but The Family Stone still makes for an enjoyable watch, even though the story is a bit too predictable and it resorts to a bit too much blatant emotional manipulation. The interplay of the characters is always amusing and the actors are wonderful throughout. Plus, Rachel McAdams has now joined Audrey Tautou (A Very Long Engagement, The DaVinci Code) as an actress I absolutely love to simply watch onscreen. This is a good popcorn movie. Watch it. Enjoy it. It won't weigh you down.
Starring: Claire Danes, Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Dermot Mulroney, Craig T. Nelson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson, Tyrone Giordano, Elizabeth Reaser.
Director: Thomas Bezucha
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 102 mins
Release: 2005
Reviewer: John Rice |
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