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Movies / On DVD / The Perfect Holiday
The Perfect Holiday

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The Perfect Holiday (2007)

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Reviews Counted:54

Fresh:9

Rotten:45

Average Rating:3.9/10

Consensus: The Perfect Holiday is the perfect example of Christmas movie clichés run amok.

Runtime: 1 hr 36 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: Christmas wishes come true in Lance Rivera's (THE COOKOUT) second turn as a director, THE PERFECT HOLIDAY. Struggling songwriter Benjamin Armstrong (Morris Chestnut) is an all-around nice guy who... Christmas wishes come true in Lance Rivera's (THE COOKOUT) second turn as a director, THE PERFECT HOLIDAY. Struggling songwriter Benjamin Armstrong (Morris Chestnut) is an all-around nice guy who is both looking for love and waiting for his big break. In the meantime, he works part-time as a shopping mall Santa, and one day receives a sweet request from young Emily (Khail Bryant): all she wants for Christmas is for her mommy to meet a nice man. A busy divorced single mother of three, Nancy (Gabrielle Union) has lost her faith in love since her bitter divorce from James, aka mega-rap star J-Jizzy (Charlie Murphy). When Benjamin uses Emily's inside information to make her Christmas wish come true, it looks likes he's found love with Nancy. But will a big career break cost him everything? And will Nancy's eldest son, John-John (Malik Hammond) accept him and give up on his dream that his parents will reconcile? With some help from Mrs. Christmas (Queen Latifah), reminiscent of Clarence in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, they all just might have a perfect holiday. Murphy, who bears an uncanny resemblance to his younger brother Eddie, is fun as J-Jizzy, pushing the gangsta rapper stereotype to comic extremes. Terrence Howard appears briefly as Bah-Humbug, who attempts to foil Mrs. Christmas's good deeds. Faizon Love and Katt Williams lend comic support as Ben's best buddy, Jamal, and J-Jizzy's manager, Delicious. Union and Chestnut make a lovely couple, but the kids steal the show here. Hammond does a great job as a little boy who is trying to be a man and along the way realizes that his father isn't perfect. Bryant and Jeremy Gumbs, who plays middle-child Mikey, make their big-screen debuts. [More]

Starring: Morris Chestnut, Gabrielle Union, Charlie Murphy, Katt Williams

Starring: Morris Chestnut, Gabrielle Union, Charlie Murphy, Katt Williams, Faizon Love, Terrence Howard, Queen Latifah, Jill Marie Jones, Rachel True, Malik Hammond, Khail Bryant, Jeremy Gumbs

Director: Lance Rivera

Director: Lance Rivera
Screenwriter: Lance Rivera, Marc Calixte, Nat Mauldin, Jeff Stein
Story: Lance Rivera, Marc Calixte
Producer: Mike Elliott, Joseph P. Genier, Marvin Peart, Shakim Compere, Queen Latifah, Leifur B. Dagfinnsson
Composer: Christopher Lennertz
Studio: Yari Film Group

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Reviews for The Perfect Holiday

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
04/23/09
Tom Meek
Tom Meek
Boston Phoenix
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch | comment Comment
10/18/08
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
10/18/08
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

Love eventually conquers all, as expected, but not before we're forced to sit through a nearly endless parade of clichés, unfunny jokes, and empty drama.

Full Review Source: ReelzChannel.com | comment Comment
09/08/08
Heather Huntington
Heather Huntington
ReelzChannel.com

Christmas fable is cute and tame, but unoriginal.

Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | comment Comment
07/16/08
Cynthia Fuchs
Cynthia Fuchs
Common Sense Media

Queen Latifah and Terrence Howard just show up enough in The Perfect Holiday to either pick up a paycheck or return some kind of mysterious unpaid debt to writer-director Lance Rivera.

Full Review Source: Las Vegas CityLife | comment Comment
03/17/08
Matt Kelemen
Matt Kelemen
Las Vegas CityLife

"The Perfect Holiday" isn't perfect. But it does contain moments of merriment.

Full Review Source: Quad City Times (Davenport, IA) | comment Comment
02/09/08
Linda Cook
Linda Cook
Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)

Bad Santa! No cookie!

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
02/01/08
Marc Savlov
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle

I’d rather watch 90 minutes of a flickering yule log video than sit through this overcooked Christmas goose again.

Full Review Source: Ebert & Roeper | comment Comment
12/17/07
Richard Roeper
Richard Roeper
Ebert & Roeper

It's deplorable that these two stars have been reduced to appearing in such garbage.

Full Review Source: IGN Movies | comment Comment
12/17/07
Stax
Stax
IGN Movies

Perfect Holiday is far from an offensive effort. It's just pathetic and forgettable, and when it comes to Christmas cheer, mediocrity should never be left under the tree.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
12/16/07
Brian Orndorf
Brian Orndorf
eFilmCritic.com

There's just no cynicism in this whole story. As if a woman knows how to take a compliment. But this movie allows you to suspend disbelief and buy into a woman who can say thank you.

Full Review Source: Can Magazine | comment Comment
12/16/07
Fred Topel
Fred Topel
Can Magazine

[A] wretched yuletide comedy.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
12/14/07
J. R. Jones
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader

If tickets to this yuletide dreck are hiding in your stocking, you'd be better off with a lump of coal.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
12/14/07
Amy Nicholson
Amy Nicholson
Boxoffice Magazine

In one scene, Terrence Howard kneels in a pair of shoes like Tim Conway in a 'Dorf on Golf' video, licks a lollipop and utters this line: 'I gotta go dookie.' I hope they paid him well.

Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment Comment
12/14/07
John Beifuss
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

...a clumsy mess of silly contrivances and musty sight gags...

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
12/14/07
Jim Lane
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review

There's no rush to see this disappointing excuse for a holiday film.

Full Review Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette | comment Comment
12/14/07
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Belying its title, the film does little to inspire good cheer toward its various imperfections. Maybe I should find Santa and ask for better films. You'll certainly wish I had if you're unfortunate enough to sit through this 'gift.'

Full Review Source: Screen It! | comment Comment
12/13/07
Jim Judy
Jim Judy
Screen It!

Most people seeing this movie might wonder what Queen Latifah did to convince Terrence Howard to take on what will surely be his worst role of the year.

Full Review Source: ComingSoon.net | comment Comment
12/13/07
Edward Douglas
Edward Douglas
ComingSoon.net

Despite the appealing supporting performers, I'd like to cap this movie.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
12/13/07
Frank Lovece
Frank Lovece
Film Journal International
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
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Latest News for The Perfect Holiday

November 07, 2008: Spicing up Christmas with some savvy soul, are tough love story tour guide Queen Latifah, Terrence Howard as her sidekick mute meanie, and devilish duo Katt Williams and Charlie Murphy's J-Jizzy, doing musical bad boys with deliciously nasty glee. Opens in new window
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