A bit of a baffling movie. Everyone’s a bit of a jerk,with the family being unreasonably mean and then the movie making Meredith have a Homophobic moment so the family has a point but really it makes so you’re not really rooting for anyone for most of the film. Any the romances have a very weird base of Everett and Ben being down for their partner’s sibling IMMEDIATELY. Ben is thrusting his crotch at Meredith repeatedly while she’s in her car. It’s so weird, and they can’t sell it all happening over one night. But the performances are solid, especially McAdams. And there are moments that hit, like ‘that’s you and me kid’ and the bed scenes with the parents, but it’s not enough to offset the film’s messiness for me. But it hit my sister hard, who loves this movie, and that’s the power of a romcom. It hits some people and misses others.

The Family Stone is a messy, convoluted family comedy that gets lost in itself. The story follows Everett Stone as he brings his girlfriend home for Christmas to meet his family, and the shenanigans that ensue. The film has an all-star cast that includes Sarah Jessica Parker, Diane Keaton, Craig T. Nelson, Rachel McAdams, and Luke Wilson. However, the script is weak; going off on several tangents and the tone is constantly changing. As a result, the story never gets going and is constantly battling between comedy and drama. Lacking focus and clear direction, The Family Stone is an underwhelming and chaotic film that’s not very entertaining.

A surprisingly fun film, and SJP was actually quite lovable. Stick with it, and you'll find yourself smiling.

>"Don't dilly-dally there, pretty lady. We're all gonna be down here talking about you." I fully expected to not care about this movie, but I enjoyed it! This is my Love Actually. Every character shines (Sarah Jessica Parker is maybe the exception) and makes me want to be a part of their family.