The holidays is a time for giving thanks, even if the family in question is one of pure chaotic mayhem. In “Almost Christmas”, the newest in holiday hijinks films, we meet Walter (Danny Glover), a retired automotive engineer who lost the love of his life one year earlier and finds his life a little empty because of it. Now that the holiday season is here, he invites his four grown children and the rest of the family to his house for a traditional celebration. Poor Walter knows that if daughters Rachel (Gabrielle Union) and Cheryl (Kimberly Elise) and sons Christian (Romany Malco) and Evan (Jessie Usher) can spend five days together under the same roof, it will truly be a Christmas miracle. Over the next week, the family digest secrets and a crossing of lifestyles that have them reaching for the bottle, or in some cases the gun. “Almost Christmas” is written and directed by David E Talbert, and is rated PG-13 for suggestive material, drug content and adult language.

For great laughs and family fun entertainment, “Almost Christmas” might be your safest bet this holiday season. David E Talbert commands an instructional film on the very importance of family essence during the times when we feel the loneliest, and in that aspect his movie succeeds at garnishing a warm center amidst the chaos of these very loud and vibrant personalities meeting under one roof. For a majority of this movie, I had a good time and exerted some hearty laughter streaks that worked well because of the so-so material that was executed brilliantly by its excellent cast. The problem comes late into the second act when the pacing of cramming too much too fast in every scene, as well as a lack of narrative in exchange for repetition in improv, makes this 107 minute movie feel like over two hours. Never does this feel tragic for the overall presentation, but a second edit could’ve done wonders for a movie that sometimes doesn’t know when to quit or hinder its emphasis on going to the same well far too often.

The movie starts off with a brief rundown of this family’s story and the sheer importance of this deceased woman to the family that depended on her so much. As much as this movie is set around the Christmas season, I believe that this can be a good watch for Mother’s Day as well, and that serves as a testament to the best holiday comedies; when they can be viewed under multiple lights that never hinders or diminishes its charms. Talbert’s script and direction feels like a tribute to Mothers all across the globe, and it’s in that prime centerpiece where so many treasures in moral integrity and cultures become established. Never for one moment does Talbert let you forget that stance in this movie. That can be a positive and a negative. A positive for the very well-being of our characters, for they must now pick up the pieces after receiving the biggest possible heartbreak to all of them. But a negative in that the movie reminds the audience far too often of its existence just when we feel like our protagonists have received some clarity in their situations. The movie also has far too many subplots within this family, often creating a tug-of-war in screen time to let everything play out. Resolutions feel rushed by the third act, and this feels impatient considering we were ever introduced to some of these flimsy details in the first place. Some subplots simply aren’t necessary, and could use the edit button in the grand scheme of emotional register that this movie was trying to accomplish while playing against some quite humorous banter.

To say I loved the comedic material in this movie would be an understatement. It’s been a long time since a movie has had this critic coughing in laughter so hard, and that’s a testament to Talbert’s witty direction that more times than not makes his comedy relating to families of every race. Never does this movie’s laughs single out the white audience, and I can certainly appreciate that as it often feels like the desperation button to many scripts that don’t know how to create laughs among their own characters. This movie simply doesn’t have that problem, as there’s a real feel of energy among this cast and crew that make it impossible not to be touched by the magic in atmosphere, as well as Christmas cheer. One of my favorite scenes in particular was the dinner scene that can be noticed during the trailer. One of the family members are caught cheating and it leads to some of the most jaw-dropping scenarios played out under the holiday glimmer. This is very much a dysfunctional family, but I think Talbert’s idea is to relate that we’re all dysfunctional in one way or another. The real challenge is how we overcome those dysfunctions together, and to that David should be commended on his important message.

This is very much an A-list ensemble that can be seen in a lot of these family reunion type films, but the chemistry among this cast in particular lifts this movie to passing efforts because of their overabundance of chemistry. One thing that I appreciate in a movie is when the casting agents never have to suspend the audience’s disbelief in a family’s physical appearance in similarity, and that is the case with “Almost Christmas”. I never had to squint to see the similarities, and the bickering between them felt authentic to the kinds of quarrels that brothers and sisters deal with from year-to-year. These aren’t people who hate each other, but more so that feeling of bothered and intimidation by the other ones successes, and that’s a difficult thing to play off without feeling wooden or forced. In particularly, the work of Kimberly Elise and Gabrielle Union as sisters who have been on opposite sides of the fence for far too long is an enriching one to watch. They very much love each other, but always see something in the other that they can’t stand. Danny Glover was also very prominent as the leader of this family. In Danny’s performance, we see a lot of heartache and pain, and certainly root on his holiday success as the time with his family is always winding down. There’s a lot of decisions that his character must make for the future, and the arrival of his loved ones push those under the rug for an inevitable confrontation by film’s end. I also greatly enjoyed JB Smoove again, even though his character is somewhat of a douche bag. Smoove’s character is always one who swallows his own Kool-Aid about how great of a person he is without ever truly proving it. The exchanges between he and Monique make for the collision of two of the very best comedic personalities working today.

“Almost Christmas” is almost a great movie. Unfortunately for some repetition in material, as well as some poor pacing that drags the movie on a little longer than it rightfully should, this cost the movie from being just a little more than its finished product. Is there enough to enjoy? Certainly. The non-stop laughs from an ensemble cast that never slows down, or the hearty centerpiece of family values, makes this movie a little easier to forgive for some of its storytelling sins. Overall, it’s a tad formulaic, but the awkwardness in familiar family exchanges is more than enough to keep the coal out of this stocking.

6/10