Rated: PG 13
Time: 1 hr 57 minutes
Release Date: 11/21/07
Genre: Drama, Comedy - Dramedy
Writer: Preston A. Whitmore II
Director: Preston A Whitmore II

Synopsis

The Whitfield family gathers together for the first time in four years to celebrate the joy of Christmas. The luggage they bring not only is packed with clothes, but secrets of infidelity, debt, new matrimony, co-habitation, and resentment folded perfectly. Soon, the best-kept secrets will be exposed and test the ties that bind this family together.

Review

A holiday family dramedy is what my spirit needed to get into the holiday cheer. I just wonder why it came out for Thanksgiving instead of Christmas? Anyhoo, despite the soap opera dynamics to this movie that present several different story lines, I actually kept up with them all. Perhaps, because I love my stories. This is a nice family movie that you can take your parents and grandparents to see.

After watching this movie for an hour or so, I started to feel like I was part of the Whitfield clan. The Whitfields are a large family and with any large family, there are going to be a lot of issues and drama convoluted in the mix. The writer, Preston A. Whitmore II had to really keep his wits about him when writing this script. There were so many different story lines because of all the secrets and characters in this movie; he actually did a pretty good job at tying up the loose ends. Don’t get me wrong, there are some unanswered questions, but I find that to be typical in movies and something funny you can rip on later.

This movie has a wonderful cast and the majority of the actors hold their own and equally provide juice to this movie. Loretta Devine, one of the original cast members from the popular stage play Dreamgirls plays matriarch of the Whitfield clan. Her youngins all call her Ma’Dere/Ma’Dear. This is a term of endearment that is short for ‘Mother Dear’. She certainly is the leader of her pack when it comes to secrets. I won’t spoil anything for you by revealing secrets in this review, but in ‘reel talk’ I will get to all the grit. Just know, her youngins, definitely follows her lead. Her oldest son Quentin, (Idris Elba, Daddy’s Little Girl) comes home after 4 years and has some major money issues. Her oldest daughter Kelly (Sharon Leal, Why Did I Get Married & Dreamgirls) is a know it all who entertains Santa in various ways. Ma’Dere’s middle daughter Lisa (Regina King, Jerry McGuire & old time network show 227) dotes on her husband to the degree where I wanted to GAG. The baby sister Melanie (Lauren London, ATL) changes majors and boyfriends like she changes her clothes. Son Michael (Chris Brown, Stomp the Yard & R&B recording artist) is the baby of the family. He is petrified to tell his mother his deep secret in fear he will break her heart. Her youngins don’t end there. There is son Claude (Columbus Short, Stomp the Yard) who secretly marries a young white girl. Well, we all know this can be a potential problem because the movie trailer distinctly shows that the Whitfields are an African American family. Even though this is an all African American cast, this movie is not just for African Americans. Families and their problems exist in every race and it ties us all together.

This movie won’t be considered the holiday movie of all times, but there’s enough juice to entertain you with a wonderful soundtrack, some unsteady attempts at humor, a very engaging cast and to get you in the holiday spirit.

My Rating ~ 3 Reels

Average Rating ~ What's Yours?

Reel Talk

Warning! Reel Talk is my to-the-point comments and opinions—and it contains spoilers. Don’t read this if you plan to watch this movie!

Show me the Reel Talk!

This movie is good because it gives me soooooooo much reel talk.

Famliy

It sure would be nice, if for once in a movie, the siblings look alike or favor their parents. I want to see the same noses, the same big heads and lips. How are they going to have sweet and innocent looking Chris Brown known as ‘Baby’ being brothers with Quentin, who for some reason looked dusty and crusty in every scene? I know the brotha is a musician, but come on now, his chin and cheeks look like it ain’t seen a Norelco electric shaver in weeks. h, and did you know that Idris has a British accent? I had no idea.

Kelly

Now, on to big sis Kelly. How are you going to bring your one night affair up in your momma’s house to stay the night? I don’t care how old you are. hat isn’t your house. You’ve been gone for years. You know your momma is a saved and sanctified woman, although by Christian standards, she has been living in ‘sin’ for 7 years with Joe. But still, I can’t believe that Kelly didn’t care if anyone from her family saw her? And that corny line she said with that smirk when he left the house dressed like Santa Claus…”I guess Santa is coming to town.” That’s a stock line that should be used in movies like Bridget Jone’s Diary or on a prime time TV show like Desperate Housewives.

Baby

You mean to tell me, ain’t no one know that Baby could sing? No one? Come on. You know we always sing in the shower or in the car. I am trying to figure out how he could sound so professional like he has been singing for years. He didn’t sing in the church choir. You know that is where some of the best singers got their start. As soon as you hear someone on “America’s Got Talen”t or “American Idol”, the contestant always says that they started singing in the church choir. Baby had perfect pitch, riffs, and stage presence. He came out looking all scared and what not like a deer caught in some big bright Monster Truck headlights. Then he busted out like he had been singing for years. MMMMM HMMMM.

Joe

Let me move on to Joe. What Joe you know can come up with $10,000 in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve? Did he have it stuffed in a sock in the drawer? Oops, I mean his plastic bin. How did he even know where Quentin was? Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb (bookies) were sleeping in the bed when Quentin left. Did Joe take part in his own make shift stake out and wait for the two bookies to get up, figure out that Quentin played them and rolled out to the train station? Oh, and don’t forget have enough time to come up with $10,000. Ya’ll heard me. I said $10,000 not $100.00. Come on!!!! Can I get some believability delivered to me?

Let me ask this too. How can this man fit all of his belongings into a plastic Kmart special container when he has lived in that house for 7 years? Come on now……Come on. And I know it was 7 years because the baby sister Melanie has been in college for 7 years or darn near around 7 years and Old Joe has been living there since she left for Spellman. So, where are his clothes? If all he has is a plastic bin, then he should have used some of that $10,000 to buy some. I need realism family.

Quentin

Quentin had a lot of nerves going off on his brother Claude for shoving a gun in dudes face trying to defend his best kept secret – his wife -- all the while he lets 2 criminal bookies have dinner and stay the night at his momma’s house with all of his loved ones. HELLLLOOOO. In what world that you know of where you’re going to have some people, who you owe money to that stomped you in your grill, stay at your momma’s house with your pretty 3 sisters? Family…can you help me out on this one? Is it just me? Am I over-reacting? Because, this makes no bloody sense.

Oooooh wait…You know all this time I thought cousin Fred was MaDere’s son. How did I miss he was the cousin? They could have just left out the character Cousin Fred.

Lisa

Can I just say BABY OIL!!!! Ya’ll ladies know what I am talking about. Woocheeehh.

Claude

Don’t let me forget about brother Claude. This man left his wife…let me say that one more time just in case you skimmed past it. This man left his WIFE up in the hotel, alone, pregnant and waiting on his Mr. Potato Head behind. If he was man enough to pull a gun out, then he should have been man enough to present her to his momma and the rest of the Whitfield family when he went home. He shouldn’t have married her if he was too scared to take her home. I just wanted to sllllllllap his behind. WAIT. I forgot, he was AWOL because he went home to be with her. Okay, I have to admit, I am confused by this. Let me say this out loud. Claude the Marine, left without the proper permission from his superiors because his wife wasn’t having it, him not coming home for the holidays. MMMM KKKAYYY. Now this is the man’s career and he just ups and leaves knowing that he was going to get in trouble. He does this for his wife… Family, what’s her name…Hold on. Let me try to remember. That’s right….Sandy. The wife is Sandy. Claude does all this ludacrisnous, but leaves Sandy the first chance he gets and spends time with his family. Obviously, all he had to do was be honest and tell his momma and family that he got married, didn’t invite any of them, and oh yeah, Sandy just happens to be white. Well, then again with all those secrets, I guess I can see why he bi*ched up bit. He’s still stupid

Ma’Dere

Since I got on MaDere’s kids, I think it is time that I get to the matriarch herself. What is up with her being so upset with her sons leaving her. They are grown. They ain’t your husband. Woman, you got a man of your own. It ain’t like she is alone. Let your sons be free and follow their dreams. Woman, you got a man. And Joe just ain’t any man. He got friends he can call in the government that can grant her son privileges after he went AWOL to spend time with his new wife and family. COME ON!!!!!! Don’t forget the $10,000. The negotiating at the train station with bookie thugs.