This Christmas (2007)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Preston A. Whitmore II

Writer (WGA):

Preston A. Whitmore II (written by)

Release Date:

21 November 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

You can't exchange family.

Plot:

A Christmastime drama centered around the Whitfield family's first holiday together in four years. |

Plot Keywords:

Domestic Violence | Gambling Debt | Dancing | Camera | Car Accident

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Delroy Lindo	...	Joseph 'Joe' Black
Idris Elba	...	Quentin Whitfield
Loretta Devine	...	Ma'Dere / Shirley Ann Whitfield
Chris Brown	...	Michael 'Baby' Whitfield
Keith Robinson	...	Devean Brooks
Laz Alonso	...	Malcolm Moore
Columbus Short	...	Claude Whitfield
Sharon Leal	...	Kelli Whitfield
Lauren London	...	Melanie 'Mel' Whitfield
Lupe Ontiveros	...	Rosie
Jessica Stroup	...	Sandi
Mekhi Phifer	...	Gerald
Regina King	...	Lisa Moore
David Banner	...	Mo
Ricky Harris	...	Cousin Fred

Also Known As:

¡Al fin es navidad! (Argentina) (DVD title) [es]
Hristougenna tis symforas (Greece) (DVD title) [el]
This Christmas - Natale e altri guai (Italy) (DVD title) [it]
This Christmas - Un marito nuovo per mamma (Italy) [it]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for comic sexual content and some violence.

Runtime:

USA:117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

UK:12A | USA:PG-13 | Ireland:15A | Singapore:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

El Rey Theater - 5515 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Facilitator Films

Trivia:

The "Soul Train Line" at the end of the movie was the actors/actresses themselves dancing, they were not in character.

Goofs:

Continuity: On the beginning of the film, Quentin says he has no luggage. But in the scene where he is at the train station, he can be seen with bags and luggages.

Quotes:

Shirley Ann 'MaDere' Whitfield: [Noticing Sandi] Who is this?
Lisa Moore: That's your daughter-in-law.
Kelli Whitfield: Um, this is not funny.
Lisa Moore: No, it's not, but I'm going to keep drinking until it is.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2007-11-24)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

O' Tannenbaum ('Got a Name Holmes' Version)

Family movie - but NOT for the family

I'm not a big moviegoer, but I do know that this movie was too full of drama to be reasonably resolved within a 2-hour window. Maybe it would have made a better novel??? The only plot that seemed to actually play through was the husband-wife scenario, but even that was rushed (though it was resolved with great humor). The movie also didn't "warm my heart" in the traditional sense of a holiday movie. I was left wondering what the true message was supposed to be??? As a side note, I took my middle school daughter and a few of her Chris-Brown-crazy friends to see this movie, and I was disappointed. I knew it was rated PG-13, but I'm convinced now more than ever that the range of PG-13 is far too wide. The movie trailers look made it look like this would be a family movie. Well, it was ABOUT family - but it definitely not FOR the family. Specifically, I was disappointed in the way the family "ideal" was portrayed. In the words of my grandmother, there was too much "shackin' up" in this movie - in fact (the viewer learns in the first few minutes of the movie), the wise, God-fearing matriarch has a live-in boyfriend who happens to be a deacon in the church. Needless to say, two of the matriarchs apples don't fall far from the tree. And since when to do one-night-stands lead to true love??? I know that this movie was not marketed as a moral movie per se, but the matriarch and live-in patriarch sure did talk a LOT of Christian talk to be living with each other and leanin' on the Lord for deliverance from their family problems. I realize that this is life - people do what they want to do. I'm just saying: don't try to do the Tyler Perry thing (add a spiritual connection) at the same time you're trying to do the Zane thing (everybody-get-their-freak-on). Just let it be one or the other, and don't sell us out with a teen-magnet like Chris brown if you're going the Zane route (and DON'T try to hide it under the "holiday film" radar)! I do hope that the film-makers remember: when you put Chris Brown into a film, you're going to attract a lot of young, impressionable girls. Be mindful of the message you're sending. I do try to support films that portray African-American families positively and I know how important that first weekend is for a new film. But, next time, I'll have to wait and see what a few of my friends say before viewing similar movies.