Z/Web

This film seemed like a natural family hit and I was surprised it didn’t do better at the box office. After all, it’s got a great cast and a heart-warming premise (the oldest son coming home for Christmas with his new fiance) — what could go wrong? Unfortunately, the script has to force every family cliche upon us (a gay son with his partner, a mom with terminal cancer, and a few others) and there’s a mean-spiritedness to family’s resistance to the fiance that’s not pleasant to watch — even if you assume things will work out in the end. To top things off there’s a bizarre switch in the plot that’s almost incomprehensible [Spoiler alert!] when the son falls for his fiance’s sister and realizes he and the fiance are incompatible. Huh? Why were they together in the first place if they were so wrong for each other? We never see them, ever, have much of a relationship, so we can’t figure out why they were together at all, which, while it makes the ending more plausible, pretty much makes 80% of the film pointless. The final nail in the film’s coffin is the fact that most of the conflict in the film feels forced. Why is the daughter so angry and mean to the fiance? That is never explained and feels dirty and wrong. Why is the mother so set against the fiance? Again, never explained, and makes us dislike the mom. And of course the fiance herself isn’t exactly tarnish free, setting herself up as a target and making bizarre decisions — like coming out anti-gay at dinner with the family. (It’s believable she might have those opinions, but she’s supposed to be a brilliant businesswoman who would be intelligent enough to know not to say such things in front of others, especially potential family you’re trying to impress and who already don’t like you.) Very odd characterization and in the end, nothing quite works. There’s some real potential here, some of the basic concepts are fine, and the casting is terrific, but as a whole the thing flops miserably. Really disappointing.