THE FAMILY STONE (2005) *** Yea! A Christmas movie about a dysfunctional family that is, essentially, happy. Everyone is who they are and they know it. The characters are beautifully drawn-largely defined by the family dynamic that serves as the center of the film, and the fine actors step right into them and get it on. If there's a lingering and underlying current of counterculture about (pot, Jefferson Starship, Diane Keaton talking about "hair"), that's because there is. In a film with so many great couples (Rachel McAdams & Paul Schneider; Luke Wilson, Dermot Mulroney, Claire Danes and Sarah Jessica Parker in varying aligment; Brian J. White & Tyrone Giordano) Diane and Craig T. Nelson stand out. Don't you want your parents to have a love like...something like....that? Aren't they good parents? Aren't they good kids? Don't they bring good people home? (Ms Parker is particularly adroit at being irritating and sympathetic simultaneously) So what a mess. Hooray for such messes!
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