Review of Love the Coopers (2015) by Joanna B — 22 Feb 2016

Rarely is a tagline so adept at describing exactly what you would like to do with a film, in this case, regift it. From the makers of classic Christmas dramady The Family Stone comes the saccharin laden Love the Coopers.

Lost in predictable dysfunctional family story threads and overused obvious voiceovers, this sugar-coated attempt at sentiment tries to make us forget it's just another contrived and schmaltzy holiday movie but fails to deliver a single moment of genuineness.

Forced in the name of good cheer to converge yet again for their annual dose of resentment and disappointment aka Christmas Eve dinner, four generations of the Cooper family relive past issues in a ground hog day of pretense; but this year, will home truths finally be digested?

While family matriarch Charlotte (Diane Keaton) clings to the idea of one last happy Christmas before her and husband Sam (John Goodman) announce their split after 40 years; her eldest son Hank (Ed Helms) lies about his employment and her daughter Eleanor (Olivia Wilde) begs stranger Joe (Jake Lacy) at the airport to be her escort fake "fiancé" for the evening, all in the name of appearances.

Then there is Charlotte's lonely dad Bucky (Alan Arkin) who has feelings for a young a young waitress Ruby (Amanda Seyfried), her misfit sister Emma (Marisa Tomei) who resorts to breaking the law just to be noticed, a time confuddled Aunt Fishy (June Squibb) who has no sense of appropriateness and Rags the loveable family dog with an eating disorder.

The Verdict: A mismatched stocking, Love the Coopers is not the new 'comfort and joy' feel good movie Christmas deserves. Frankly, I recommend sticking with Love, Actually; yule feel better.

Published: Canberra Weekly.

Date of Publication: 10/12/2015.