The Family Stone

It's Christmas, and the very liberal family Stone is welcoming back all its siblings for the holidays. Oldest brother Everett (Mulroney) is bringing along his new uptight girlfriend, Meredith (Parker), and the family can't wait to tear to her to shreds, especially bitchy sister Susannah (Rachel McAdams). She is given such a bad time that Meredith is forced to ring her sister (Claire Danes) and ask her to come to the Stone household for support. Upon arrival, however, everyone likes her - especially Everett, which only alienates Meredith more. Meanwhile, mother Kelly (Keaton) is harbouring the secret that her cancer has returned but has promised husband (Craig T. Nelson) not to spill the beans until Christmas is over.

The story drifts from one character to another, as all involved vie for equal screen time and at 105 minutes there is simply not enough time for real character depth. Several episodes that demand more time get glossed over; Keaton's breast cancer, despite the close-up of her breast, seems like an also-ran. Luke Wilson, as the chilled-out stoner brother, doesn't have a lot to do except quip the odd witty remark off-camera, while Tyrone Giordano, playing the deaf/gay brother, feels like the token deaf/gay brother. The stand-out is a remarkable Sarah Jessica Parker who, although she brings a little bit of Carrie to her character (she likes shoes), exorcises any ghosts that may have haunted her since Sex and the City. Parker doesn't mind playing a character that no one is supposed to like and she does a great job in dragging out feelings of sympathy, especially at the cringey dinner table scene where she announces that no parent wishes her child gay - a scene that could have played in The Office without the levity of humour to sooth the awkwardness.