THE FAMILY STONE
US, 2005, 102 minutes, Colour.
Claire Danes, Diane Keaton, Rachel Mc Adams, Dermot Mulrooney, Craig T. Nelson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson, Tyrone Giordano, Bryan J. White, Elizabeth Reaser, Paul Schneider.
Directed by Thomas Bezucha.
What is it about American families? Are they different from families in other cultures? In so many films, we see family reunions at Thanksgiving or Christmas. After the greetings come the recriminations and everyone seems to fall out with everyone else. If we are lucky (and if they are lucky and good-willed), we might see some reconciliation.
And so it is with the family Stone. It’s Christmas and the oldest ‘perfect’ son (Dermot Mulroney) is bringing his fiancee to meet them all. Only his younger sister (Rachel Mc Adams) has met her, but they all already loathe her, mock her and are determined to prevent the engagement. And, when she does arrive, they behave abominably towards her – and this includes retired professor father (Craig T.Nelson) and freethinking mother (Diane Keaton). The trouble is that the fiancee (Sarah Jessica Parker) is rather hard to like and take. She is ultra-buttoned up, a controller, with a nervous cough and a propensity to talk incessantly. The family, of course, realises that they are justified in disliking her and mocking her.
One of the sons is less starchy than the rest (Luke Wilson). Of course, he now lives in Los Angeles and is a documentary editor, so what would you expect? He actually befriends the put-upon woman and is kind to her. In the meantime, she has asked her sister (Claire Danes) to come to her aid. The sister is so nice and the family like her so much, the fiancee seems even worse. It all comes to a head when there is a discussion at the table about gay stances. The other son in the family, deaf, is living in a gay partnership. Explosions.
You have a hunch that all will end happily (more or less), so it is a matter of watching the developments to see how this could possibly happen. Performances are quite strong. In fact, Sarah Jessica Parker received a Golden Globe nomination which one would be inclined to give her for having put up with so much from the family.
These are the woes of a reasonably affluent and comfortable family, so it is a little hard to be compassionate. But, perhaps there are some people in our families who are a bit like the Stones.
1.A Christmas story? Family reunion? The American family together? Clashes, resolutions?
2.The importance of the Christmas setting? Families coming together? A season of goodwill? Gifts?
3.The New England town, the home, its sense of being lived in? The diner? The bus stops? Authentic atmosphere? The musical score?
4.The title, the focus on the family, the significance of stone, the stone in the family ring?
5.The prologue, Meredith and Everett, shopping, for Christmas, gifts, Meredith and her pushiness, decisions?
6.Meredith as the focus of the film? Her age, experience, work? Overseas appointments? Her dress sense, her combed hair? Her nervous cough? Her incessant talking? Her wanting to control? Her relying on Julie? The phone calls? The driving to the house with Everett, his attempts to reassure her? The arrival, everybody watching, her reaction, the family and its rudeness? The issue of the room and Amy having to move out? Her feeling more and more uncomfortable, her reactions, feeling that Everett was not supporting her? Her brash speaking, manner, the decision to move out to the inn? Her return, working with Patrick to prepare the meal for Christmas morning? The charades and her being embarrassed, The Bride Wore Black, pointing to Patrick? The table talk about gay issues, her continually compounding what she was saying, Kelly and Sybil and their anger? Thad and his embarrassment? Her feeling that Everett did not support her? Her being rebuked? Going to her room, going to the car, Ben and his going out to help her? Taking her to the diner? Her drinking, dancing, meeting Brad and blurting out about Amy? The return home, her staying in the room, her shock when she woke up, Kelly looking in the room, assuming that she had a sexual relationship with Ben? The fact that she did not? Her blurting this out and people’s reaction? Her continued apologies? Ben and the explanation, trying to get her to learn? The issue of the ring, declaring that she wouldn't marry Everett? Her staying, the change, Ben and the transformation?
7.Everett, his place in the family, his work, seemingly perfect? His understanding the family, suspicions at the arrival, reactions? The tension with his mother, wanting to ask her for the ring that she had promised? Their talk, her refusal? His father insulting Meredith and his saying that he expected more from him? The awkwardness, going to the inn? At table, the discussion about the gay issue? Going to search for Meredith, in the company of Julie, their talk, her listening to him, understanding him, his wanting to stay the night, her refusal? His mother giving him the ring? Trying it out on Julie? Her wanting to leave, his going to the bus stop, persuading her to stay – her getting out of the bus and promising to meet at New Year? A year later and their being together?
8.Kelly and Sybil, their age, experience, bringing up five children? The university atmosphere, liberal? Sense of freedom? The wide range of conversation topics and their bluntness? Their decision-making? Their judgments on Meredith, ridiculing her? The bonds between the two, their house, the children, spoiling them? At table, their rebuking Meredith and their anger? Their love for each of their children, the special problems with each? Especially with Thad and his relationship with Patrick? Sybil and her apology? The night together, the revelation of the news about her terminal cancer? Meredith and the gift of the photo of the pregnant Sybil? The reconciliation – giving the ring? A year later and her absence through her death?
9.Julie, her arrival, being picked up by Thad, the contrast with Meredith? More relaxed, free, playing with Elizabeth? Awkward at the table? Joining in the search with Everett, talking with him, the explanation of her job? His trying on the ring, her embarrassment, talking with Meredith? The decision to leave, the encounter at the bus stop? Her getting on the bus – stopping and explaining about New Year?
10.The contrast with Ben the California background, documentary films and editing? His more relaxed approach, trying to get Meredith to relax? His clothes? Expectations of him? His attraction towards Meredith, coming out to the car to help her? Taking her to the diner, trying to get her to relax, dance, the drinking, the meeting with Brad? The next morning and his explanation that nothing had happened? His trying to get her to understand herself? The foundation of a relationship?
11.Amy, spoilt, critical, blunt instead of honest, ridiculing and mocking? Her relationship with her mother? The issue of the room and her tantrum? The later apologies? Her relationship with Brad? The gift of the photo, her mellowing, Brad’s arrival, the bond with him?
12.Susan, pregnant, Elizabeth, the phone calls to her husband, watching Meet Me in St Louis, the talking? Her father’s care for her?
13.Thad and Patrick, Thad’s deafness, the ability of the family to sign? Meredith and her shouting? The relationship with Patrick, Patrick as part of the household? Helping with the cooking, picking up Julie at the bus station? At the table, the discussion about the gay issues? Sybil and her support of Thad?
14.The build-up to the confrontation, the apologies, Meredith embarrassed, going to get the breakfast, everything spilt, people falling in the food, Everett and Ben and their fight?
15.The importance of gift of the photo, Meredith thinking it was Everett, the fact that it was Amy? The photo as the centrepiece at the end?
16.The aftermath of twelve months, peace within the family?
17.The contrivance of the characters, of the family reunion? American sentiment and its being so open? Issues of honesty, truth, love and reconciliation?
