Search - The Perfect Holiday on DVD

Mediocre Holiday

Nuisance | Miami | 09/20/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The Perfect Holiday is not necessarily a bad movie but its far from a good one too. While I admire a movie that does not try to be offensive and wants to be positive there is a thin line from being a little schmaltzy to laying it on real thick. The movie is not unwatchable. It has a talented all-star cast that do a decent job acting but the script is hackneyed and cheesy to a fault plus its pretty bland.

Spoiler Alert!

The story: Gabriell Union plays Nancy, a newly divorced woman who's daughter overhears her conversation about what she wants from a man: a compliment. The daughter goes to a mall Santa(played by Morris Chestnut) named Benjamin and wishes that her mom gets a compliment by her man. Benjamin(Chestnut) gives Nancy a compliment and soon they begin to date. Problems arise when Nancy's naive son, John John gets annoyed by Benjamin because the little tyke misses his arrogant and thoughtless wannabe-rapper father J-Jizzy(played by Charlie Murphy)who would rather be large than be with his family. Then things get even more complicated for the relationship between Nancy and Benjamin when J-Jizzy asks for Benjamin, who also sings to record with him. Queen Latifah plays Mrs Christmas, an angel who is also the narrator of the movie.

Opinion: Positive: this movie is not terrible. Negative: but its not memorable either. Positive: it has an all-star cast. Negative: they are all wasted on a script that pulls every Christmas cliche out of the book.
Positive: The Perfect Holiday is earnest and has a heart. Negative: its syrupy to the point of cheesiness. Positive: it makes an effort at humor. Negative: The humor misses more than it hits. Positive: Its the least offensive Christmas comedy ever made. Negative: It wallows in mediocrity like pigs do in mud. Positive: Its great to see a movie especially an African-American film that is not based on sex and violence. Negative: Its kind of bland and the schmaltzy scenes are a bit much. All in all I would recommend this movie to you if you want to see a Christmas movie starring African Americans that is not offensive but Last Holiday and This Christmas are much better. Perfect Holiday is far from a stinker but when compared to great movies like This Christmas Soul Food, The Wood, The Inkwell, Love Jones, Brown Sugar etc Perfect Holiday can easily be forgotten.

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Love In The Time Of Christmas

P. Newon | Waldorf, MD | 01/09/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This movie was such a wonderful love story at Christmastime. A divorced mom who just wants to get on with life and love, daughter who wants Santa to make her mom's wishes come true, and a teenage son who just wants his parents to get back together. Well, Santa delivers, though the sleigh ride to love was not easy!!!"

Cute sometimes, but incredibly unoriginal.

Tyler Davis | 12/15/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Yeah, Terrance Howard was funny. However, he, and Latifah, the two best actors/characters in the movie are bit parts. They play minuscule and unimportant roles so don't expect much from them.

Also, the story is horribly unoriginal.

Tell me if you've heard this one before.

Man meets woman. Man tells lie to woman about himself. Man and woman fall in love. Man delays telling the truth about said lie because he doesn't want to ruin the relationship. Woman finds out truth at end of movie and is very angry. Man tells her he loves her but understands why she's mad. Woman comes to her sense and realizes that the lie was done for good reason and is of little importance. What is important is that she loves him. Woman surprises man at end of movie.

Now, take that story, copy & paste, add some santa hats, add Charlie Murphy (who is funny as hell by the way), add christmas music... and now you have Perfect Holiday.

Sound like it is worth $15-$20? Not really.

Watch it if you must, the acting is good enough, but don't expect anything worth a damn story wise."

Good Movie

Rhonda McKnight | Atlanta, GA United States | 11/29/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The writing could have been better, but still it was a cute movie. Charlie Murphy was hysterical. Terrence Howard was funny and Morris Chestnut was yummy as always, so what was not to enjoy."