Love the Coopers

After reviewing the last two heavy-laden message films, I felt the need to go see a totally comedic and fluffy film in which to escape into and sit back and relax. Hey, even we critics need to have it easy ever so often. So I felt that "Love the Coopers" would be that vehicle to get in to, considering it's about family dysfunction at its finest.

When four generations of the Coopers clan come together for their annual Christmas Eve celebration, a series of unexpected visitors and unlikely events turn the night upside down, leading them all toward a surprising rediscovery of family bonds and the spirit of the holiday.
First, there is Sam and Charlotte Cooper (John Goodman and Diane Keaton), married for 40 years who, at this time in their life, hardly know one another. Next, their son, Hank (Ed Helms), who is trying entirely too hard to land a job right before Christmas so his family will think better of him, falls flat on his face. Next, the dad of Charlotte, Bucky's (Alan Arkin), one enjoyment is going to the same coffee shop and having his server, Ruby (Amanda Seyfried) waiting on him so he can enjoy her company to stave off his loneliness. Then there is Emma (Marisa Tomei) who has constantly been in competition her older sister, Charlotte, and continues to be this way. Then there's Eleanor (Olivia Wilde), who feels as the outsider daughter of the aforementioned parents, who inadvertently asks a total stranger, Joe (Luke Lacy) at the airport to pose as her boyfriend, so she doesn't have to face her mom, Charlotte. Then there's Sam's Aunt Fishy (June Squibb) who comes to the house from her nursing home dementia and all. And the kids involved have their own separate issues. All of this makes for quite the mixed bag indeed.

Others to round out the cast are Anthony Mackie as Officer Williams, Alex Borstein as Angie, Hank's ex-wife, Maxwell Simkins as Bo, Timothee Chalamet as Charlie, Blake Baumgartner as Madison and Lev Pakman as Schnozzle.

This was effectively directed by Jessie Nelson ("Corrina, Corrina" '94, "I Am Sam" '01), and considering most of his creativity is writing and his times as director have been few a far between, it's amazing that the pacing and staging of this production was as clean as it was. Where this film basically takes a dive is with the writer, Steven Rogers ("Hope Floats" '98, "Stepmom" '98, "Earthly Possessions" (TV movie) '99, "Kate & Leopold" '01, "P.S. I Love You" '07). First of all, this vehicle isn't the typical fare this writer has executed before, and secondly, this plot is formulaic and contrived--basically has been done a ton of times before. When we've seen films like, "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" '83, "The Santa Clause" '94, "Home for the Holidays" '95, "Jingle All the Way" '96, "Christmas With the Kranks" '04, "The Family Stone" '05, "Fred Claus" '07 and the like, so many of these films have similar premises. These films, although once were funny, in time and being repeated, are a chore to laugh at. Even if there's dysfunction involved, as there is in this film, it could be written in a way that is fresher and cleaner to get your audience on the writer's side. Don't get me wrong, there were places of funny lines and situations--Jane Squibb as demented Aunt Fishy was simply a hoot, however, when it's all said and done, this script definitely need to be more cohesive and fresher.

If one is looking for something fluffy, easy to follow with a good ensemble cast, look no farther, "Love the Coopers" will certainly fit this bill. The question is: what possibly could Hollywood come up with next year? I cringe with wonderment.

Out of 4 Stars: 2                                     Rated: PG-13                                    108mins.