Christmas
films - especially those revolving around your stereotypical dysfunctional
American family - can be cringeworthy or great ("The Family Stone"
for instance is one that works beautifully). So I'm glad to say that as I downloaded and streamed "Christmas
With The Coopers" to my all-singing and all-dancing Samsung 4K 55" Tele this November 2018 - I was more than pleasantly surprised.
First
up the cast is large and wonderful - Diane Keaton and John Goodman head up Mom
and Pop of the Cooper family from Pittsburgh. Charlotte and Sam have been
together for 40 years but with disillusioned Sam considering exiting the house
after one last head-jutting session around the Christmas dinner table with the
siblings (who want to rip each other’s throats out) – theirs is an uneasy
alliance – problems the kids don’t know about. They want to rekindle the way
they used to feel and flashbacks show them in their earlier joy - but weariness
and years of children and family has taken its emotional toll.
The
staggering gorgeous Olivia Wilde plays the wayward daughter Eleanor - something
of a cynic in her mid-30s – she's still flouncing around with inappropriate men
until on her way home she is snowed in at an airport and meets soldier Joe at a
bar. Played by a fabulously understated Jake Lacy - the rebel daughter who is
at first off-putting and pass-remarkable – soon starts to hit it off with the
straight-laced Republican Joe in his camouflage uniform. Realising there might
be a genuine he’s-the-one connection between them and spotting an opportunity
at the same time – Eleanor talks Joe into coming home with her as a 'boyfriend'
– a wholesome foil that will surely ward off Mom's annual condescending stare and
Guantanamo Bay type interrogation on goals and achievements (where are you
going in life my dear). Not wanting to spend Christmas Day on an airport chair
and actually thinking there might be something special in the air with this
plucky, fun Eleanor and her elegant neck – Joe agrees.
In
the meantime old-timer but platonic Bucky played by the wonderful Alan Arkin
drops in yet again at his favourite diner to secretly smile at his favourite
dish - the kind-hearted and attentive waitress Ruby played by the fab Amanda
Seyfried. However, Ruby has plans, wants to leave town and have a shot at life
for herself. But she also knows that this will hurt Bucky who has come to
almost depend on her - love her even - despite the huge age difference between
them. Meanwhile in a department store not far away in the snow-pretty town, the
equally likeable Marisa Tomei plays Emma who is once again stealing jewellery
in an attempt to impress her older sister Charlotte. Cop Andrew Mackie catches
her and there then ensues soul-searching chitchat in the red, white and blue car
from the backseat to the front. Both chastising but in a strange way helping
each other - the ping-ponging chat soon moves away from lies to honesty and
starts to mellow the official 'you're under arrest' dynamic - possibly offering
up a way out for both in this festive time of giving and forgiveness.
Also
in life's crapper is jobless Hank (Ed Helms) who hasn't told his fiercely
argumentative wife Angie (Alex Borstein of "The Marvellous Mrs.
Maisel" fame - the butch lesbian who befriends and manages Mrs. M) that
she can't have quality presents this Christmas - or even the divorce she wants. Hank's smallest (a precocious girl) has taken to calling everyone she meets a 'dick' (and they sometimes deserve it too). And then there are two awkward but likeable teenagers (one is Hank's hapless older boy)
obsessing over breasts, French kissing and not getting the crap kicked out of
them by bigger classroom bullies. And of course there are endless amounts of carol
singers spreading good cheer – wassailing alongside inebriated Santa’s sat in
chairs in shopping malls with screaming brats on their laps looking up at them
like they’re Beelzebub or his more evil twin. And on it goes...
Steve
Martin is narrating all of this and the excellent script by Steven Rogers is
never less than impressive whilst at times being downright insightful, moving
and even occasionally magical - something you don't say too often when it comes
to modern day Festive movies. For sure it feels a little cluttered in places and you've seen some of these set pieces before - but there are moments of remembrance by characters that floor it - really work - and they happen right up to its rather nice all-in ending.
Called
"Love The Coopers" when it was released Christmas 2015 – now
re-branded "Christmas With The Coopers" for the 2018 watch-it-at-home
generation - I think this snowbound Sleigh Ride through life and love and second
chances is a wee bit of a hidden gem amongst an awful lot of dreck.
Give
it a shot and I dare ye men out there to resist Olivia Wilde's eyes in close up
- now that really would be a miracle...
