Review of This Christmas (2007) by Danielle S — 11 Nov 2008

It's the Christmas season for the Whitfields: a time for joy, family, and endless problems. For Ma'Dere (Loretta Devine), her relationship with Joe (Delroy Lindo) remains a secret shame she tries to keep away from her troubled son Quentin (Idris Elba); Lisa (Regina King) is dealing with a cheating spouse; Kelli (Sharon Leal) is looking for a man, hoping a one-night-stand will lead to love; Baby (Chris Brown), the youngest of the clan, has aspirations to be a singer; and Claude (Columbus Short) is a military officer on leave with secrets that will come back to haunt him.

This Christmas is best when it settles into the family dynamic. The cast plays off each other extremely well, selling the history of the Whitfields without overcooking the sibling rivalry bitterness. This Christmas is blessed with copious amounts of charm and spirit, if not story.

It's an experience defined by the strength of the cast, who rise above the derivative nature of the picture to fashion something if not entirely fresh, at least it's entertaining and uplifting where it counts.

The result is a big, gushy, emotional, secret-driven, family-obsessive casserole, perhaps facile in some of its resolutions, but so full of good heart and love.