Almost Christmas (2016)

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I generally find myself in the minority on this one (once again), but I can't help but toss this title into the "comfort food" category when it comes to Christmas movies. There's nothing extra special about it; it's not without its flaws, but in the end, it's just a nice film that hits me in the "warm & fuzzies." It has a Hallmark Christmas quality, but it still leans a little more towards adult humour, giving it that little something to hold on to. It's another title that has to be seen in the right light.

What I mean by that this time around is that the viewer will have to duck and dodge some of the more convoluted parts of the film, involving several characters, to get to the true heart of it. Indeed, this is yet another Christmas flick about family dysfunction. If I'm honest, there are at least a couple of characters throughout that are bound to drive you up the wall, once again getting into the "bickering" pet peeve of mine I hate so much. However, with the right formula in place, it can sometimes be forgivable. Now, a lot is going on here, so bear with me.

As the film kicks off to the great tune of 'Ain't No Woman (Like the One I Got)' by the Four Tops, we are given a view of the developing Meyers family through the years in a well put together montage, until we get to present-day Christmas, 2016, where the family loses their matriarch, Grace, and is facing the holidays for the first time without her, seemingly being the glue that holds the family together. Despite everything, however, patriarch Walter (Danny Glover) is determined to carry on with a five-day family Christmas, with the help of his sister in law, May (Mo'Nique).

Invited to this even are namely Walter's four children, and their families; his dentist daugher, Cheryl (Kimberly Elise) and his comedy relief husband, former NBA star, Lonnie Maclay (J.B. Smoove); his campaigning son, Christian (Romany Malco) with his wife, Sonya (Nicole Ari Parker) and two kids, Cameron (Alkoya Brunson) and Dee (Marley Taylor); his self-absorbed, single daughter, Rachel (Gabrielle Union) and her daughter, Niya (Nadej K. Bailey); and his athlethic youngest, Evan (Jessie T. Usher).


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Walter Meyers is a retired automotive engineer who lost his wife Grace 10 months earlier. 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.

Walter knows that if his daughters Cheryl and Rachel and sons Christian and Evan can spend five days together under the same roof, it will truly be a Christmas miracle. As his children arrive, Walter realizes a perfect Christmas without his wife, Grace is easier said than done.

Cheryl, a dentist and the eldest child, arrives for the holidays with her goofy husband Lonnie Maclay, a previously famous basketball player. He develops a mutual interest in a young grocery store worker named Jasmine shortly after arriving in town.

His eldest son and second born, Christian, struggles with balancing his campaign to become a congressman and his desire to spend time with his wife Sonya and two kids Cameron and Dee. Christian invites his campaign manager along so they can get more work done. His manager helps set him up with potential financial backers.

Meanwhile, Rachel, his youngest daughter and third born, struggles to financially support herself and her daughter Niya due to her recent divorce and studying to become a lawyer.
The youngest, Evan is a successful football player recovering from a shoulder injury, but when his coach tells him his arm is completely healed, Evan struggles to give up the pain medication.
Throughout their 5 days together, the Meyers family experiences ups and downs. Rachel and Cheryl trade barbs at each other, Lonnie has an affair with Jasmine, (which Rachel discovers immediately) and Christian is pressured to help demolish a part of town that includes a homeless shelter his mother supported.
Out of spite, Rachel invites Jasmine to Christmas dinner to embarrass Lonnie and Cheryl but when the sisters accidentally find their mother's tin of recipes, they stop fighting and Rachel tries to disinvite Jasmine via voicemail.
On Christmas Day, Evan discovers Walter plans on selling the house and confronts him. The kids are shocked but Walter stands by his decision. Evan storms off and gets into a car accident. Jasmine arrives to dinner, to Rachel and Lonnie's surprise, and inadvertently reveals their fling to the whole table. Cheryl chases Lonnie off with an old rifle.
Later on, in the hospital, Walter helps Evan confront his grief of losing Grace. Cheryl and Rachel make amends and Cheryl gives her sister a check to help her finish law school so she can be her lawyer in her future divorce with Lonnie. Christian tells his potential backers that he won't demolish the shelter. The film ends with Walter finally perfecting Grace's sweet potato pie and deciding to keep the house.

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