The Family Stone

Herald rating: * * *

It's Christmas, and Everett Stone (Dermot Mulroney) is bringing his uptight, super-sensitive fiancee, Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker), home to meet the family: mum Sybil (Diane Keaton), dad Kelly (Craig T. Nelson), brother Ben (Luke Wilson), gay and deaf brother Thad (Ty Giordano), and his little sister, Amy (Rachel McAdams). Thad's African-American partner, Patrick (Brian White), and their adopted son will also be there.

Everett adores Meredith and thinks that he should be more like her if he's to succeed in business. Sybil is acutely aware that this woman is not right for her son. Meredith is acutely unaware that the more she tries to the right thing, the more she succeeds in doing the wrong thing.

So the scene is set for a Christmas screwball comedy, which involves everyone getting the wrong end of the stick, an emergency visit from Meredith's sister, Julie (Claire Danes), and a romantic development that no one will predict.

The DVD's casting feature reveals that the movie was essentially built around Keaton, who steals every scene she's in. Parker admits she came on board because she wanted to play against her TV persona. There's a short behind-the-scenes, a heavily edited question-and-answer session at the Screen Actors Guild, six short deleted scenes and red-carpet shots. Writer-director Tony Bezucha and his production crew offer one minimalist commentary track, Parker and Mulroney an even less worthwhile alternative.

* DVD, video rental today