It's Christmas Eve, and siblings Michael (Michael Malone) and Bridgett (Melissa Revels) would love to miss out on their family dinner at least this year, since again they haven't amounted to anything much and have grown tired to hide that fact from their mother - but this year of all years they can't bail out as their grandma (Joann White) has decided that it will be her last Christmas ever. Thing is, nothing's right in their family, their parents (Raymond Kester, Cindy Maples) try to desperately try to hide the fact that they're on the brink of divorcing, but aren't very good as dad brings his new girlfriend (Brandi Hutchison), Uncle Raymond (Rich Ragains) brings his delinquent son (Derik Zooashkiyani) who's just been released from prison, which is mirrored in his manners, it's found out that mum has been on pills for years, and ultimately everybody blames everyone for everything that's wrong - and that's even before a burglar (Cliff Edens) breaks in to hold them at gunpoint ...

It's Christmas in hell of course, and nobody would like to live through the on-screen goings-on - but it's good fun to watch, mainly because the whole thing's well-structured and doesn't lose any of its drive once the initial premise gets old, it's subtly directed, and it features lovably flawed characters really brought across by a bunch of very solid performances. And one just can't help but be drawn in by the film's often mean horror - in fact the more cynic one is, the more whole-heartedly one will laugh here!

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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