THIS CHRISTMAS
US, 2007, 117 minutes, Colour.
Delroy Lindo, Idris Elba, Loretta Devine, Chris Brown, Keith Robinson, Laz Alonzo, Columbus Sharon Leal, Lauren London, Lupe Ontiveros, Jessica Stroup, Mekhi Phifer, Regina King.
Directed by Preston A.Whitmore II.
This is an American family reunion at Christmas, a theme popular in so many films. But, this one has an appeal to an American- African audience. There are a very serious family problems, of course, but there is also a sense of joy, and an ultimate exuberance with all the cast doing creative dance moves, almost encouraging the cinema audience to get up and dance in the aisles!
Loretta Devine is the matriarch of the family, her husband having walked out on her to pursue a music career, and her constant support and companions for many years, Delroy Lindo, a deacon in the local church which the family attends.
The film shows various of the children, especially Regina King as the older daughter who did not go to college, married, has children, her husband a philanderer mismanaging money, her really knowing but unwilling to face it until challenged by her younger sister, college-educated, career-oriented, rather free in her relationships, Sharon Leal. There is also much smaller subplot with another sister and the boyfriend she invites for Christmas.
As regards the sons, the youngest, played by singer and musician, Chris Brown, stays at home with his mother, but secretly sings in a nightclub, not telling his mother because of her experience with his father. However, the deacon invites him to sing at the church at Christmas, opening up possibilities for him. By contrast, the older brother, Idris Elba, is a musician who has left home, has not returned for many years, has gambling debts, resents the deacon and his place in the family – this brings the most dangerous of the subplots but, again, it is the deacon who makes the resolution. He also does this for another son, Claude, Columbus Short, who is in the military, is discovered to be AWOL for Christmas, is further discovered to have married a white wife who is pregnant.
Plenty of family plots, a great deal of singing – and that exuberant ending.
1. An American Christmas story? A family story? Bombs and love? Family quarrels? Family secrets?
2. The focus on the American family, an African- American family? The range of characters, men and women, different walks of life, hopes? Coming together to celebrate Christmas?
3. The cities, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York? The family home, the clubs, shops, the streets, police precincts?
4. The musical score, the wide range of Christmas songs throughout the film? Enthusiasm of the company dancing to celebrate Christmas? The finale of the film, everybody dancing, the different moves, the joy and enthusiasm, audiences dancing in the aisles!
5. Ma’dere as the dominant presence in the household? Her age, experience, love for her first husband, his walking out for his music, and managing, the presence of Joe in her life, her love for him, dependence? Her children? Son-in-law and grandchildren? Girlfriends and boyfriends?
6. The days of Christmas, arrivals, Christmas Eve, meals and celebrations, meetings, church? Departures? Conflicts?
7. Joe Black, his age, experience, deacon in the church, his belief in God, the grace before meals? His living with Ma’dere, love for her? His care for all the children? The buying of the Christmas tree, the installation? Supporting Michael and his singing, inviting him in the church? The care for the daughters and concern? The conflict with Quentin, his return, Quentin trying to avoid him – and yet Joe paying his debt? Joe’s stances against the gamblers and their money demands? Quentin’s return to the dinner, everybody reconciled?
8. The focus on Lisa, her support of her mother, the dry-cleaning company, her not being educated, her two children, her philandering husband and her knowing, his advising her to urge the sale of the dry-cleaning business? The arguments with Kelli, the comparisons, rivalries? Supporting her other brothers and sisters? Her attempts to be seductive – and her husband resisting, travelling, unfaithful? The long discussion with Kelli, her decision, crashing the car, her husband’s return, the baby oil on the floor, hitting him, filing for divorce? Support from her family?
9. The contrast with Kelli, glamorous, commercials, educated, flirtatious? The arguments with Lisa, with Lisa’s husband? Going out, with Gerald, spending the night? His being Santa Claus, coming to the house, gifts for the children? Her promise, his return, after the squabbles? His story about seeing her at school? Her change of heart, inviting him to New York?
10. Michael, at home, the youngest, supporting his mother? The surprise of his singing in the club? So well? Unable to tell his mother? Her resistance to his singing because of her husband, Quentin? Wanting to leave home and do something for himself? Her hard response? Joe inviting him to sing in the church, the reconciliation?
11. Quentin, the oldest, away from home, like his father, career, gambling, in debt, the gamblers pursuing him, punching him, coming to the home, invited to the dinner? Quentin and his antagonism towards Joe? Supporting his father? The interactions with the rest of the family, the issue of the selling of the company? Leaving home, the bus station, Joe coming, rescuing him, paying the money? His leaving, reflecting in the bus, returning?
12. Claude, military, out on the town, the rendezvous with Sandi, leaving her at the hotel? His situation, AWOL, the marriage, the secret, his not knowing that Sandi was pregnant? Her being welcomed into the home, everybody shocked, adapting, Sandi explaining that her parents were against Claude because he was black? Joe, the military connection, getting Claude to visit home before going back to base?
13. Mel, her place in the house, boyfriend, visiting? The sequence in the cupboard and their getting his name wrong?
14. The children, little focus on them, the situation with Lisa, their father, the divorce?
15. The film ending with the churchgoing, Joe as the deacon, the Christmas singing, reconciliation?
16. And the final exuberance music and dance moves and the audience loving the singing and dancing?
