The Family Stone (2005) Directed by Thomas Buzecha. With Sarah Jessica Parker, Claire Danes, Diane Keaton, Luke Wilson, Dermot Mulroney, Rachel McAdams and Craig T. Nelson.
Written and directed by Thomas Buzecha, The Family Stone can be looked at as either a warm but poignant home for the holidays Christmas movie, or for Sex and the City fans…What Carrie Did Next.
With an ensemble cast featuring Claire Danes, Diane Keaton, Craig T Nelson, Luke Wilson, Dermot Mulroney and Rachel McAdams, it is Sarah Jessica Parker who takes the most central role, her first after the conclusion of her role on TV as sex columnist, Carrie Bradshaw. ‘SJP’ plays Meredith, an uptight and awkward character, accompanying her boyfriend to his family home to meet them for the first time, over the Christmas festivities.
What initially has the promise of a conventional Hollywood comedy, gradually introduces more sombre tones as a serious relationship/family drama unfolds. While there’s always an air of comic relief lurking, thanks to the easy presence of Luke Wilson and SJP, from the hour-mark onwards, the film sets its sights on going for your emotional jugular, making the final 30-some minutes mostly predictable and a touch trite.
Thanks to the cosy setting of the family home, the Christmas card surroundings and an impressive cast, The Family Stone will perhaps reel you enough to jerk a tear ,or two, but it could also weigh surprisingly heavily for those in search of a lighter, National Lampoon kind of a time. 2.5/5
Gareth Rhodes Film Reviews 