Love the Coopers

Frankly, it's difficult even to like the Coopers, despite the holiday theme and star-studded cast. Charlotte Cooper (Diane Keaton) presides over a magnificent kitchen, where gleaming granite countertops are stacked with appetizing edibles. Once a year, on Christmas Eve, four generations gather under her roof, and she wants everything to be perfect. Of course, Charlotte has a dysfunctional family, so chaos naturally reigns. With Steve Martin providing omniscient narration, the Coopers' individual and collective angst is explored. Struggling playwright daughter Eleanor (Olivia Wilde) recruits Joe (Jake Lacy), a conservative Christian soldier she meets in an airport bar, to pose as her boyfriend. Dejected son Hank (Ed Helms), a mall photographer who is divorcing his wife, arrives with their kids: a sullen teenager and a 5-year-old who crudely repeats: “You're such a dick!” Charlotte's envious spinster sister Emma (Marisa Tomei) shoplifts, so she's whisked off in a police cruiser driven by a closeted cop (Anthony Mackie). Lonely Grandpa Bucky (Alan Arkin) still has an eye for young ladies, particularly an insecure waitress (Amanda Seyfried), and then there's flatulent Aunt Fishy (June Squibb). To top it off: Charlotte is planning to end her 40-year marriage to Sam (John Goodman) after the festivities conclude. Directed by Jessie Nelson, this tedious, contrived dramedy—peppered with flashbacks and telegraphed deductions—is not recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “making-of” featurette (12 min.), the music video for “The Light of Christmas Day” by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant (3 min.), the brief behind-the-scenes segments “Rags the Dog” and “Fun on Set,” trailers, and an UltraViolet copy of the film. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus DVD copy of the film. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a disappointing film.] (S. Granger)