THIS CHRISTMAS

Director: Preston A. Whitmore II
Stars: Delroy Lindo, Loretta Devine, Idris Elba, Regina King, Chris Brown, Sharon Leal, Laz Alonso, Columbus Short, Keith Robinson
Year: 2008
Rating: PG-13

The Whitfield family is coming home for Christmas, and bringing enough baggage with them - both real and emotional - to sink the Titanic. Headed by Ma'Dere (the always-perfect Loretta Devine, who seems unable to do any wrong as an actress) and her long-term boyfriend, Joe (Delroy Lindo) - who more or less stays with Ma'Dere in the family home, except for when the older kids are visiting, to show respect to them and Ma'Dere - the Whitfield children are all grown up and out of the house ... each of them with various levels of resentment and consternation toward each other and their parents, even as they try to get along for the sake of family. Ma'Dere's husband, see, abandoned the family long ago in favor of a career as a jazz musician, and ever since Ma'Dere has been a matriarch who's always been afraid of losing the men in her life to music. Even her eldest son Quentin (Idris Elba) hasn't been home for Christmas in four years, leaving home to move to Chicago where he pursues playing the sax in a jazz club.

But this Christmas is different. These pots have been boiling on their respective stoves for some time, and the time is coming for things to blow. There's the oldest sister, Lisa, who had to skip college to help support the family and her younger siblings (Regina King) - and has now married well, has two kids, lives in San Francisco, and can't help but laud her happiness and strength over everyone ...

To middle sister Kelli (Sharon Leal), college-educated and pursuing a modeling career in New York City, who can't seem to hold onto a relationship or a man ... to Lieutenant-Corporal Claude Whitfield (Columbus Short) of the U.S. Marines, the middle son who arrives with a secret in two that he's terrified of telling Ma'Dere and his siblings about ... compared to the baby sister Melanie (Lauren London), who arrives from college with her latest boyfriend (Keith Robinson) and just seems a bit too flighty for anyone to take too seriously. The youngest son, Michael (singer Chris Brown) - known as 'Baby' - still lives at home but has his own career path chosen and ready to go ... if only he can get the nerve up to tell Ma'Dere and his family what it is. Even Quentin, it's soon learned, is coming home for Christmas this year ... but with a pair of goons right behind him, trying to collect a $25,000 debt.

And as the grown children arrive back home to Joe and Ma'Dere, the layers of infidelity and jealousy and secrets begin to unravel - in an often funny, sometimes surprising, and ultimately heart-tugging way.

This is a sweet film, one that anyone with a large family will easily identify with. Preston A. Whitmore II could not have, conceivably, chosen a better cast for his film - none of whom, even newcomer-to-acting Chris Brown - strike a false note. Loretta Devine, as Ma'Dere, holds it together as best she can, while Delroy Lindo is charming as the moderator of all things Whitfield and Idris Elba turns in a sensitive, heartfelt performance as Quentin. But they only head a really strong cast of talented actors, all brought together for a wonderful holiday film that really comes off feeling more like the family gathering it's about. It will have you thinking about your own family, about how all the arguments and fighting and fear are inconsequential ... when it's family that should pull together for each other in the end; what should keep you going.

Lovingly done, and with just enough holiday smarm to come off as real. A true Christmas-time treat with a valid year-round message. ***1/2 - Reel Cool-Reel Awesome