Oh where to begin... The cast. You cast Jessica Parker as the main character who everybody is supposed to love and cheer on...? Sarah Parker was good in one thing. Sex and the City because it suited her style but everything else was horse style... No i'm sorry, that's an insult to horses whom probably are better than her.Then the rest of the cast. Well the problem isn't the cast per say... but they have none chemistry whatsoever. I honestly don't see why Meredith or Everett are together because they clearly don't like each other and Meredith just goes in for being an awful hag as possible. Everyone are just simply dicks to eachother for no reason which makes me question why they are even a family. Sure... every family has their problems but these people should be as far away from each other as possible. The only two redeeming characters are the gay couple because well they don't have many lines and they actually behave like a family should. And well Meredith didn't exactly improve her reputation by being a homophob and a rascist. For a christmas movie that is about spreading joy and happiness, they sure suck at it. There's the awful mother (Lois Griffin-style), "waaay to passionate father that (like Meredith) tries too hard like it's forced upon him, the guy that hits on the fiancee, an asshat of a daugther, yet an annoying child that does nothing but make us cringe, the fiancee to Meredith who is a cheating bastard and Meredith who is a cheating, homophobic, rascist, un-educated bastard. The only redeeming characters are Meredith's sister who just were at the wrong place at the wrong time (not really, it was planned...), the knocked up daughter, the gay couple and ...nope. Those were the only good part about the movie.When a christmas movie lacks a likeable cast, good writing, chemistry, good charisma, decent well behaved people... then it's not really a christmas movie is it? It' more of a soggy train wreck of a drama.There are plenty of other good MORE cheerful christmas drama comedies, worth your time. This... This is not.

The Family Stone has talented actors, but the entire movie plot is horrible, what was the Director thinking?! The Family Stone is just 2 hours (or however long it is) of a bunch of people being nasty to someone who is supposed to be joining their family via marriage, there's no message to this flick except to conform, what is wrong with being different? why can't this family accept that the lady is not like them and that that's okay?! Why they're so offended by her, no one knows, she is polite, she is not a laid back and relaxed person like them - but is that any reason to mistreat the poor woman?! Bottom line, they knew she wasn't right for him - so they decide to act like 7 year old's in a school playground, there are scenes where a couple of them tell the guy not to marry the fiancé, but he doesn't listen, so then the beef is with him, not her, be nasty to HIM instead! And that awful scene at the dinner table...i'm sorry but if someone shouted at me like that i would have nothing more to do with that family and definitely would not go back in that house, even if i got an apology.The Family Stone is a 100% negative motion picture, the best they could have done with the script is by the end have Meredith leave Everett and have nothing more to do with the family, let Meredith's sister be with the guy instead or whatever, but at least give Meredith some self- respect by having nothing more to do with the people that treated her like crap.If you have to watch a movie with a slightly similar story line, watch "Christmas With The Kranks" instead, that's not a great film either, but it's better than this garbage.

At first I did not understand why the ratings much low. I was hoping to be romantic family film.However ... the most that bothered me in the film are mediocre attitude towards the future wife of a son / brother. Another thing that upset me and ruined me a feeling of Christmas and New Year's magic is the connection between Everett and Julie. Like ... what that ???? From this movie one may conclude Meredith loved Everett. She would not trying so hard in this desperate family if she didn't love him. One thing I can say I hate this movie,this movie left me feeling of disgust.

The thread that suggests that the family hated Meredith states a good point. Everett's left brain is saying "This girl is a bad match; she is trouble". The fact that another thread that suggests Everett is boring may point to his lack of game but that is irrelevant. The left and right brains could not agree about her. When ellysway stated that Everett did not love her, be that as it may, the best reply is that it is exactly the way Meredith feels about him. If that is true, at least they are emotionally on the same page. Regardless, Sybil's real concern was that Everett would be miserable and if they did marry, it would end badly. She would always put her career first. By putting her own needs before Everett, he will always be second fiddle and will grow to resent that. He would feel neglected. Therefore, it was better to end things sooner rather than later when it would be messier. Everett needed to see clearly that there cannot be a future with Meredith.