Almost Christmas – Blu-ray/DVD review

By Tribute on February 8, 2017 | Leave a Comment

Christmas is still months away, but why not get into the holiday spirit early this year? Almost Christmas will definitely be able to help with that.

This festive flick follows Walter Meyers (Danny Glover), the lovable patriarch of a family whose members have all gone their separate ways since moving out. As it’s the first Christmas following the sudden and unexpected loss of his beloved wife, Walter’s only wish is to bring all of his children together to celebrate the holiday as a family. His four adult children, Cheryl (Kimberly Elise), Christian (Romany Malco), Rachel (Gabrielle Union), and Evan (Jessie Usher), along with their own families, make their way home five days before Christmas.

Once they’re all together, it becomes clear that Walter’s dream to have a harmonious holiday might be more difficult than he thought. A long-standing feud between the siblings comes to a head, while other family secrets are also exposed. With so much drama going on, it seems it will take a Christmas miracle to get the Meyers to stop fighting and get along in time for the holiday.

Almost Christmas is definitely a feel-good film, and a welcome reminder of why family is so important, especially during the holidays. Writer/director David E. Talbert (Baggage Claim) does a good job of presenting a likable cast of different characters, all dealing with their own personal struggles.

While each of the Meyers siblings’ relationships are tested in various ways, the film shows them coming to terms with their differences, and even becoming closer despite them. Danny Glover is perfect as the quintessential dad character, who just wants everything to go smoothly. His attempts to be the peacekeeper and head of the household without his wife’s help are both funny and heartbreaking, and you just want to give the poor guy a hug by the end.

The film does sometimes border into sappy territory, which might be off-putting for some. However, it is not long before the hilarious quips from the fabulous Aunt May (Mo’Nique), or the oafish Lonnie (J.B. Smoove) bring the film back to its lighthearted fun. There’s something about holiday movies that get a pass on cheesiness. (We’re not total grinches.)

Overall, Almost Christmas is an entertaining and touching comedy, that will be a jolly addition to your holiday film collection!

Special Features:

• In Aunt May Unplugged, Mo’Nique reminds us why she is the Queen of Comedy.
• Home for the Holidays is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Almost Christmas. Cast members talk about the importance of the house in the film, and why shooting in Atlanta was so special. We also get a compilation of all the hilarious moments onset. In addition, the featurette includes a conservation between Talbert and composer John Paesano about the music chosen for the film.
• In The Director Diaries, we get a first-hand account from Talbert about how Almost Christmas came to be.
• Danny Glover shares his secrets to make the best sweet potato pie in Walter Meyers’ Sweet Potato Pie.
• The cast reveal their favorite film moments in My Favorite Scene Is…
• In Working with Actors, Talbert discusses what it is like directing actors.

Have you seen Almost Christmas? If you’ve seen the movie and would like to review it click here! ~Ashleen Grange

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