the family stone (2005)

i both can and can’t believe that this movie is almost 20 years old

Another episode of Rom Coms Revisited: exploring the good/bad/ugly of early 2000s rom coms.

It’s a million degrees here in Austin, so I needed a little holiday cheer!

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The Family Stone is a 2005 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Thomas Bezucha. Produced by Michael London and distributed by 20th Century Fox, it stars an ensemble cast, including Diane Keaton, Craig T. Nelson, Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson, Claire Danes, Rachel McAdams, and Tyrone Giordano. The plot follows the Christmas holiday misadventures of the Stone family in a small New England town when the eldest son, played by Mulroney, brings his uptight girlfriend (played by Parker) home with the intention of proposing to her with a cherished heirloom ring. Overwhelmed by the hostile reception, she begs her sister to join her for emotional support, which triggers further complications.

First: the emotional range of this movie. It’s about grief and love and family. And Christmas. Second: the all-star cast. Third: the level of nostalgia for things I’ve never experienced that it gives me!! Some of those non-experienced things:

• *Christmas in Connecticut* (cozying up in my giant yet homey white house while wearing comfy chic cold weather clothing and drinking copious amounts of hot coffee)

• Having 5 children

  • Susannah

  • Thaddeus

  • Ben

  • Everett

  • Amy

• Smoking a joint in the snow at the high school football stadium with my dad

OK so, the gist of the plot is that Dermot Mulroney’s character Everett brings Sarah Jessica Parker’s character Meredith home for Christmas (despite being a doomed couple). Everett’s family is large, close-knit, and palpably hostile to outsiders, so it’s not a great situation for our girl Mer. Especially since she’s immediately characterized as being extremely uptight and difficult.

Sybil (Diane Keaton), the matriarch, is at the center of the family. She is a funny/very loving firecracker, and a shit starter. Sadly, we find out that her breast cancer has returned and this will likely be her last Christmas with the family. Much of the movie revolves around how her children process this devastating news. It’s full of several very tender scenes, interspersed with some levity (especially from Luke Wilson’s character - the goofy and lovable Ben).

Ben

Now, oldest son Everett has another motive for coming home: he’s here to ask Sybil for the family ring. To propose to Meredith. Who they all openly despise. After several awkward and uncomfortable interactions, Meredith asks her sister Julie (Claire Danes) to come and help her. The easy-going Julie arrives, and the family immediately loves her and makes it clearly known, which honestly is really rude.