Christmas with the Coopers

[baty]

I was struck by how much I came to dislike this film. I didn't engage with any of the characters that came together for a Christmas dinner. I found it straining hard to be a 'comedy' but it was/is so painful to watch.

Lots of cliché, mother/daughter, warring parents,.......arrrggg

Diane Keaton's character reminded me so much of her previous part in First Wifes club, flapping, not seeing what was in front of her and trying to paper over cracks, for me, a re-run of many of her parts I fear.
The doomed Christmas get together has little stories that mostly come together in the final act but too much has been built up and any comedy is forced harder than rhubarb.

The dog had the job of holding scenes together..........

Spoiler

Show

eating from plates, saucepans even peoples' forks I found revolting, but seemed to be the main comedy thread.

There were one or two cheesy Christmasy scenes for which I will give 1/10

So glad I did not p*y to see this

[stuartboy]

Totally agree. I was expecting a festive comedy. This wasn't. I think I may have heard one laugh in the cinema. Once. (Not me).
I found this grating and painful to watch. It was like the Christmas episode of a really bad daytime TV comedy show. Saccharine and bland. Contrived. Dull. Uneventful. Predictable.

Contrast this with the other Christmas movie I saw last night: Krampus. It blew this out of the water.

2/10

Disappointed doesn't come close.

Just realised: I forfeited Macbeth for this! Arrrgh!

[Sunny Saver]

I got an email last week saying Santa would be giving out presents at a London screening. You had to tweet. Did anyone receive pressies? If so, what were they please?

[Beate]

Man, I'm glad I didn't go now. I had a feeling it would be shite.

[Sunny Saver]

Man, I'm glad I didn't go now. I had a feeling it would be shite.

Me too, cos even the ad sounded crap!

[biggins]

Very festive scenery - the houses were all perfectly decorated with Christmas lights and the table overflowing with beautifully presented food.(before the dog got it). The snow everywhere was crisp, white and even - not a bit of dirty slush anywhere but plenty of slush throughout the movie. Too much typical American gush and not enough comedy which I was expecting.

[McG]

I suppose I was lucky that I knew it was not a comedy as scootermcc had already seen the film at a press screening and had informed me of such. I think the advertisers are once again misleading folk by showing only the comedy clips to entice a prospective audience who are then left disappointed when they discover the film is a more serious look at relationships in a family.....which could be most people's!
I rather enjoyed the film probably because it was exactly what I expected. Yes it's an all-American film with all the usual type of family relationship problems and the attempt to create this perfect Christmas which as we probably all know only happens in films!
I would recommend folk seeing it but with the strong warning that it is not a comedy despite the clips shown in the advertising.
I'll be the stand alone person and give it 6/10

[ploggit]

I didn't hate this; for me (one who has an unhealthy fascination with all things Christmas-music-y), the highlight was the soundtrack. And the very real looking snow - I'm guessing this has been sitting in the can since last winter.

[moggers]

Oh good grief, this was truly awful. I caught on pretty quickly that this wasn't going to be the laugh a minute film I had hoped it would be but a dire ensemble piece of unlikeable characters and the dog which spoke about itself in third person. Boring, predictable rubbish that is advertised as a feel good family comedy. 1/10 and that's for Aunt Fishy

[stuartboy]

Anyone else think John Goodman (I thought he was dead) seemed to have read his lines off an autocue? Everything was delivered without any feeling or acting.

Anyone spot that Steve Martin was the voice of the dog narrator (before seeing in the credits)?