My wife loves Christmas. Our tree was up a day or two after Halloween. She’s also a big fan of Mo’Nique. So, when I told her about Almost Christmas we made a family trip to the theater. I wasn’t sure if it would be good or not, but I truly enjoyed it. The drama feels manufactured at times, but the performances were great and the theme resonated with me. I give Almost Christmas the Not Quite Golden, Ponyboy rating.
Almost Christmas was a relatable family Christmas movie
Walter Meyers (Danny Glover) is having his four children and their families home for Christmas. It’s the first Meyers family Christmas without their mother who died earlier that year. Walter struggles to keep his family from imploding as attitudes and personal issues boil over.
Almost Christmas was written and directed by David E. Talbert and he brought quite a cast. Kimberly Elise, Omar Epps, Danny Glover, Gabrielle Union, Romany Malco, Mo’Nique, Nicole Ari Parker, Jessie T. Usher, and J.B. Smoove. Also, there were three talented child actors: Nadej K Bailey, Alkoya Brunson, and Marley Taylor. John Michael Higgins shows up for some extra comedic relief along with Smoove and Mo’Nique. But by far my favorite character was Rachel (Gabrielle Union). I thought she had a fantastic on screen presence and her character felt the most relatable. Generic Cialis 20mg best buy on http://www.bantuhealth.org/tadalafil-buy/ for ED treatment.
There are lots of moments full of drama. Whether it’s Cheryl and Rachel’s sibling rivalry, Walter dealing with the loss of his wife, Christian’s congressional campaign, or Evan popping pain pills. A lot of these elements could turn a moviegoer away, but the film felt real. Sometimes people don’t click and we make irrational choices. Yet, in the end, family, however it is comprised, matters. My family fell apart when my grandfather passed away, who happened to be named Walter. In many ways, the family in this film reminded me of my own. The difference is in a movie there can be a happy ending. There are a lot of storylines in this film and some are definitely underdeveloped. Yet, I didn’t feel as though any were bad.
I don’t know if this film would resonate with everyone, but it hit the right emotional beats for me. Then it also had plenty of comedy to lighten the mood when things got to heavy. Mo’Nique bring some funny moments, but J.B. Smoove was probably the funniest. The scene at Christmas dinner was definitely the funniest. You’ll be laughing for sure when Grandma Cheryl comes out to play.
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