The Family Stone (2005)

Director:

Thomas Bezucha

Writer (WGA):

Thomas Bezucha (written by)

Release Date:

16 December 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Feel The Love.

Plot:

An uptight, conservative, businesswoman accompanies her boyfriend to his eccentric and outgoing family's annual Christmas celebration and finds that she's a fish out of water in their free-spirited way of life.

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Deaf | Secret | Ring | Farce

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 6 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Feb. 14	2:00 PM	FX
Mon. Feb. 15	10:00 AM	FX

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Claire Danes	...	Julie Morton
Diane Keaton	...	Sybil Stone
Rachel McAdams	...	Amy Stone
Dermot Mulroney	...	Everett Stone
Craig T. Nelson	...	Kelly Stone
Sarah Jessica Parker	...	Meredith Morton
Luke Wilson	...	Ben Stone
Tyrone Giordano	...	Thad Stone (as Ty Giordano)
Brian J. White	...	Patrick Thomas (as Brian White)
Elizabeth Reaser	...	Susannah Stone Trousdale
Paul Schneider	...	Brad Stevenson
Savannah Stehlin	...	Elizabeth Trousdale
Jamie Kaler	...	John Trousdale
Robert Dioguardi	...	David Silver
Carol Locatell	...	Jeweler

Also Known As:

Hating Her (USA) (working title)
Untitled Thomas Bezucha Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content including dialogue, and drug references.

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | American Sign Language

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | UK:PG | Ireland:PG | Netherlands:MG6 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Finland:K-3 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Taiwan:GP | Sweden:Btl | Mexico:B | Sweden:7 | Argentina:Atp | Brazil:12 | Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | Hungary:14 | Australia:M | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:6 | South Korea:15 | Spain:13

Filming Locations:

Connecticut, USA

Company:

The Family Stone

Trivia:

In the final scene, before turning on the Christmas tree lights, Ben says the line, "And now," cried Max, "Let the wild rumpus start." This is a reference to the book Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.

Goofs:

Plot holes: Everett and Julie look for Meredith by visiting the inn and walking through town. During this time, the movie indicates their relationship is developing. Later that evening, when they've finished their searching, we see Everett dial his cell phone and Meredith's then ringing while she's sitting with Ben in his car. Dialing someone's cell phone is one of the first things you do when you're looking for them. In reality, Everett would have dialed her number at the outset of the search.

Quotes:

Ben Stone: You were shovelling snow.
Meredith Morton: I... What?
Ben Stone: You were just a little girl in a flannel night gown. And you were shovelling snow from the walk in front of our house. And I was the snow, I was the snow. And everywhere it landed and everywhere it covered. You scoop me up with a big red shovel. You scoop me up.

Movie Connections:

Features Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

Soundtrack:

Jingle Bells

The Family Hypocrites

I was sure that I would enjoy this movie, given its stellar cast and funny trailer. I thought it would be a heartwarming movie about misunderstandings and the mutual awkwardness of meeting your in-laws.

What the trailers left out was the fact that the family hates their prospective daughter-in-law Meredith without ever giving her a chance. That they are irritating people who use their gay deaf son and his black husband to bait outsiders into saying or doing presumably bigoted things. (I'm fine with the fact that diversity is represented here, but I hate how dialogue about that diversity is squelched instead of brought out.) That despite their violent hatred toward intolerance, they are some of the most deeply prejudiced, intolerant, vicious, unsympathetic people of all. And their prideful malice is directed toward an obviously insecure woman with no real faults other than being overly concerned about making a good impression. Let's get one thing straight. Having annoying tics does not make someone a bad person. Being uptight does not make someone a bad person (think Monica on Friends).

Throughout the movie I was waiting for Meredith to get her comeuppance, like Ben Stiller's character does in Meet the Parents. It never really comes. Instead, she learns to be more like them, and they basically get away with what they want. The lesson is, gang up on people who are different than you, and they'll come around.

I truly want to know why some people have such nice things to say about this movie. None of the characters is likable or even realistic. They are rude and unfriendly to whomever they want, and cloyingly sweet and warm with each other. They judge the new girl based on appearances and social class, and make no attempt to hide it. And the women especially are cliquish, bullying, belittling, and can strip down any shred of self-worth she may feel. And the cruelest of them all is played by Rachel McAdams.

Wait a minute, this is starting to sound familiar ...