Almost Christmas (2016)

“Almost Christmas” stars Danny Glover, Kimberly Elise, Gabrielle Union, Mo’Nique, and Omar Epps.  Released on November 11, 2016, the film is about a family who unites for the holidays for the first time since their mother’s death.

The film is directed by David E. Talbert, who also directed First Sunday and Baggage Claim.  The holidays is a special time where families come together and spread some of that charm to the ones you love.  For the Meyers, they’re going to need a lot more than that in order to survive each other.  I had been thinking long and hard about whether or not I should see this film.  I mean, it looks funny from the trailers, but I haven’t been able to get into this type of genre as much as the other films I’ve watched.  Luckily, my mother and my sister wanted to see it, so I had no choice but to take them.  Coming from producer Will Packer, the man behind Think Like a Man, does it manage to spread some of that early Christmas goodness into my soul?

Pros:
The cast worked pretty well together.

Mo’Nique as Aunt May.

The film offered a few laugh out loud moments.  The rest of the humor was chuckle worthy.

Cons:
Although relatable, the story is typical and predictable.

Some scenes didn’t really hit me that hard, but they were touching.

Final thoughts: “Almost Christmas” is like any other family gathering during the holidays.  It had some laughs, it had some drama, and it had some unbearable moments that make you want to tear your hair apart.  That’s exactly what I expected this film to be like.  It’s not a perfect Christmas movie, but I had a good time watching it with my family.  If you’re looking for a film that has something that you can really relate to, especially during the holiday season, then I would suggest giving this one a chance.

B