Movie Review for This Christmas (2007)

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This Christmas

Review #577 of 365
Movie Review of This Christmas (2007) [PG-13] 117 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $9.00
Where Viewed: Harkins Ciné Capri at Northfield 18, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 30 November 2007
Time: 6:40 pm
DVD Release Date: 11 November 2008 (click date to purchase or pre-order)
Film's Official Website • Film's Trailer

Soundtrack: Download now from Chris Brown - This Christmas (Songs from the Motion Picture) - or - order the CD below

Directed by: Preston A. Whitmore II (Crossover)
Screenplay by: Preston A. Whitmore II (Crossover)

Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Delroy Lindo (Domino ) • Idris Elba (American Gangster) • Loretta Devine (Dreamgirls) • Chris Brown (Stomp the Yard) • Keith Robinson (Dreamgirls) • Laz Alonso (Captivity) • Columbus Short (Stomp the Yard) • Sharon Leal (Why Did I Get Married?) • Lauren London (ATL) • Jessica Stroup (The Hills Have Eyes II) • Mekhi Phifer (Slow Burn) • Regina King ("The Boondocks")

Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
Click to see photos from the Premiere of This Christmas
Click to read the spoiler points for This Christmas
It's tempting to refer to Preston A. Whitmore II's This Christmas as a shabby knock off of Tyler Perry's Hollywood confounding series of films, but that is to give it too much credit. Part of the problem is that no one but Tyler Perry seems to have figured out how to move his stories out of the realm of clichés and stereotypes and refocus the content on to the characters. He successfully moves into the realm I refer to as Level Three on the scale of cultural diversity comprehension where:
• Level I people are just plain racists, want to be racists, and utilize discrimination and prejudice as inalienable rights;
• Level II people are all about equality, claim not to be racist, yet still operate on two fundamentally wrong notions…(a) that all people are the same and (b) stereotypes are valid and need to be broken down via assimilation…in other words, they are still prejudice and modestly racist but don't think or know they are, and
• Level III people get the idea that all people regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, upbringing, gender preference, etc. are very different, and that it is these differences which give us strength as a species on the planet, and that we need to celebrate the wide diversity not discriminate based upon it, and that no matter what is tried, there is no way to make people equal, that it shouldn't be about equality as much as it is about respect, understanding, inclusion, and a lack of pre-judgment. Tyler Perry has done so well in reaching the Level III in his films that when you watch them you may or may not depending on your experience notice or focus on the racial makeup of the cast. The characters become real people, and you can care about them for all their strengths and weaknesses, good points and flaws. Alas, such is not the case for Whitmore's This Christmas which seems firmly rooted in the level II notion that if we make a film with a nearly all black cast, it will automatically appeal to black people. The film is not without some highlights, unfortunately, it fails in its persistent reliance on clichés and perceived stereotypes that do not celebrate the characters; but, rather, confine them level II archetypes. You've got the cheating husband who doesn't respect his wife, you've got the good-for-nothing husband who abandoned his family to become a jazz musician. You've got the mostly weak women being shoved around by the men, shady loan sharks, and women preoccupied with their sex lives. Not than any one of these characters might not be found in any family of any background or make-up, it's just the preponderance of these in this one family as if to manufacture extra drama and humor where none otherwise would exist.

The story begins with everyone coming home to mama's house for Christmas. In this case, mama is called Ma'Dere (Loretta Devine) and papa's role has been taken over by Joseph Black (Delroy Lindo). Only Baby Michael (Chris Brown) still lives at home. The other brothers and sisters have moved on, though Lisa (Regina King) continues to help Ma'Dere run the family dry cleaning business. One by one they pile in, each one warming Ma'Dere's heart upon arrival. There's Lisa, of course, and her husband, Malcom (Laz Alonso) who's got a new vanity labeled Cadillac; Melanie (Lauren London) who shows up with her new and very articulate boy friend, Devean (Keith Robinson); Kelli (Sharon Leal) who arrives late, Claude (Columbus Short) who arrives in his military uniform, and eventually eldest son, Quentin (Idris Elba) who's been absent for four years to complete the bill. Right off the bat, nearly everyone is hiding something from Ma'Dere they think she either she wouldn't handle well or it's some bad nobody would handle it well—like the fact that Quentin owes a couple of loan sharkss $25,000 or that Baby actually aspires to sing. The instant tie that binds occurs when Lisa suggests its time to sell Ma'Dere's dry-cleaning business and the house. On the surface she says its better for Ma'Dere, but really, she wants her share so that Malcolm can invest it in a deal that will move their family to the next level economically. As the only child old enough to but never having gone to college she feels a little less empowered to speak her mind as soon as Ivy League-educated Kelli starts to speak up. With rare exception, the problems though are trite clichés straight out of films like The Family Stone or seemingly even corrupted out of Tyler Perry's many films. There's nothing fresh or inventive. Worse, though, no sooner will it seem things cannot get worse, something really stupid happens like Claude pulling his service revolver in a dance club because a couple of guys insult his girlfriend. Or the goons show up to collect the 25 grand from Quentin and end up getting invited to sleep over Christmas Eve while Quentin fights with Ma'Dere about the relevance of Joe in her life threatening to "be gone by the time she gets up in the morning". The entire chaotic mess culminates in one of the worst examples of spouse abuse I've seen in a film in a really long time when Lisa douses the floor of the bathroom with baby oil so that Malcolm will fall getting out of the shower and then beats him frantically with his own leather belt. If this was supposed to be funny or empowering it was neither. In real life, he'd sue her, get custody of their kids (not that their kids have much to do in this film), and moved in with his mistress, despite having committed adultery. It would have been one thing to cause him to slip and fall, but the beating was totally unnecessary and beneath the film and the character.

The film only soars above the mediocre a few times. Chris Brown sings a couple of times, both of which were light and fun—until Claude pulled out his service revolver sending his family running from the club and eventually landing him in jail with the MPs. Delroy Lindo and Loretta Devine were also outstanding. It's too bad they couldn't have been dignified with a really tender family film instead of this hodge podge of baggage and excessive drama.

"Delroy Lindo and Loretta Devine were also outstanding.…it's not a lack of talent in this cast at all that kept this film from being worthy of attention."
They are class actors who did their best to make this a special film. Truth be told, the cast overall was quite good. Idris Elba was a bit over the top at times with his characterization of Quentin, perhaps, but it's not a lack of talent in this cast at all that kept this film from being worthy of attention. Nor really it is Preston A. Whitmore II's direction—though the dance sequence at the end should have had the credits rolling or been saved for the DVD release as it was wholey non-sequitor—really, it's the story and the reliance of archetype, sketch, and outlines of people that we never really get to feel or know. There's not much choice, even, but to rely on stereotypes to fill in the blanks on some aspects of the story. The film is not overly funny, not that it has to be, and the drama was too obvious. They say there's no such thing as a new story, and this film would prove that. It's a shame because there really was a lot of talent up on the screen.
Still Photo Gallery for This Christmas (2007)
(all images used with permission for press reproduction)

Loretta Devine... Ma'Dere

Delroy Lindo... Joseph Black

Regina King... Lisa Moore

Idris Elba... Quentin Whitfield

Mekhi Phifer... Gerald

Columbus Short... Claude Whitfield

Lauren London... Melanie 'Mel' Whitfield

Sharon Leal... Kelli Whitfield

Chris Brown... Michael 'Baby' Whitfield

Keith Robinson... Devean Brooks

The Family Photo

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Other Projects Featuring This Christmas (2007)
Cast Members
Delroy Lindo • Idris Elba • Loretta Devine
Chris Brown • Keith Robinson • Laz Alonso
Columbus Short • Sharon Leal • Lauren London
Jessica Stroup • Regina King
Director
Preston A. Whitmore II
Writer
Preston A. Whitmore II
CD Soundtrack


Review-lite This Christmas (2007) [max of 150 words]
It's tempting to refer to Preston A. Whitmore II's This Christmas as a knock off of Tyler Perry's Hollywood confounding films, but that is to give it too much credit. Part of the problem is that no one but Tyler Perry has figured out how to move the stories from the realm of clichés and stereotypes and refocus on the characters. Truth be told, the cast was quite good, yet the story relies too heavily on archetype, sketch, and outlines of people that we never really get to feel or know. There's not much choice, even, but to rely on stereotypes. The film is not overly funny, not that it has to be, and the drama was too obvious. They say there's no such thing as a new story, and this film would prove that. It's a shame because there really was a lot of talent up on the screen.
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