When Everett (Dermot Mulroney) meets Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker) he thinks that she is the perfect girl, unfortunately his family don't agree. After days of enduring the tormenting of his youngest sister (Rachel McAdams), the flirting of his brother (Luke Wilson) and the disdain of his mother (Diane Keaton), the uptight Meredith decides that she has had enough and calls her little sister begging for help. However, the second the beautiful, funny, free-spirited Julie (Claire Danes) steps off the bus it's clear that she and Everett are a far better match - but it seems that it cannot be... until Meredith sleeps with Everett's brother! Or does she?

The Family Stone is somewhat like Meet the Parents, only without the comedy. Diane Keaton fulfils her usual level of acting (whatever your opinion of it may be) in her role as a terminally ill mother. This subplot adds a touch of sentimentality to the film, but adds little to the plot and seems irrelevant to the overall theme of the film. It seems at times, that the writers tried to add depth to a film that would have been better left as a light-hearted comedy.

Perhaps this film best attribute lays in its proving that Sarah Jessica Parker can be successful in a role other than that of Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City). In all, this film is your average, often-predictable chick-flick which leaves no real lasting impression.

Rated PG (see IFCO website for details)
The Family Stone is released on 16th December 2005.
The Family Stone – Official website