RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / The Family Stone
The Family Stone

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

The Family Stone (2005)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
52 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:147

Fresh:77

Rotten:70

Average Rating:5.9/10

Consensus: This family holiday dramedy features fine performances but awkward shifts of tone.

Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for some sexual content including dialogue, and drug references.

Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins

Genre: Comedies

Theatrical Release:16-12-2005

Synopsis: Destined to be a Christmas classic, Thomas Bezucha's dazzling dramedy, THE FAMILY STONE, manages to be both warmhearted and sentimental while possessing a razor-sharp hilarious mean streak. The... Destined to be a Christmas classic, Thomas Bezucha's dazzling dramedy, THE FAMILY STONE, manages to be both warmhearted and sentimental while possessing a razor-sharp hilarious mean streak. The fairly conventional story centers on Sarah Jessica Parker's uptight career woman, Meredith, and her run-in with the eponymous Stone family. With her permanently pursed lips and severe bun, SJP looks and acts the anti-Carrie Bradshaw here as, armed with cell phone and business-suit collection, she gears up to meet her fiance's oddball family, a tight-knit, colorful clan who border on bohemian. Matriarch Sybil (Diane Keaton) and patriarch Kelly (Craig T. Nelson) are a loving couple whose diverse children are affectionate and respectful. When Meredith's humorless aura infects the homestead, it is mom Sybil and sister Amy (Rachel McAdams), who sense a romantic mismatch and attack her venomously, sparking a tete-a-tete-a-tete between three feisty females. While this Battle Royal is waged, dramatic subplots brew in the background, one involving the deaf and gay brother Thad's desire to adopt a child, and the other a rather devastating secret on the verge of exposure. It is in the emergence of Meredith's refreshingly calm and breezy younger sister, Julie (Claire Danes), entering the film with a dramatic fall from a bus exit, that brings all conflict to a head. [More]

Starring: Claire Danes, Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Sarah Jessica Parker

Starring: Claire Danes, Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Sarah Jessica Parker, Dermot Mulroney, Luke Wilson, Tyrone Giordano, Brian White, Elizabeth Reazer, Savannah Stehlin, Paul Schneider

Director: Thomas Bezucha

Director: Thomas Bezucha
Producer: Michael London
Studio: 20th Century Fox

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer
    >
1 of 1

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for The Family Stone

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
81 - 100 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

The Family Stone carries itself like a shotgun wedding at a drive-through Vegas wedding chapel. The romance is rushed, but it's pretty darn entertaining.

Full Review Source: Richmond.com | comment Comment
12/16/05
Mike Ward
Mike Ward
Richmond.com

A machine-tooled entertainment that's as fake and flimsy as a plastic Christmas tree.

Full Review Source: New York Daily News | comment Comment
12/16/05
Jami Bernard
Jami Bernard
New York Daily News

An unpalatable slice of leftover holiday turkey ...

Full Review Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal | comment Comment
12/16/05
Carol Cling
Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal

The angry scenes are shattering, the funny scenes are sidesplitting and the sadder scenes dutifully earn their tears.

Full Review Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | comment Comment
12/16/05
Piet Levy
Piet Levy
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Family Stone should have been a glittering holiday bauble along the lines of the irresistible Love Actually. Instead, Bezucha stuffs into our stockings what he thinks is good for us.

Full Review Source: Miami Herald | comment Comment
12/16/05
Connie Ogle
Connie Ogle
Miami Herald

Moments of high hilarity and cringe-inducing honesty are scattered throughout The Family Stone.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Daily News | comment Comment
12/16/05
Bob Strauss
Bob Strauss
Los Angeles Daily News

Warm up your belly muscles and grab a box of tissues. When it doesn’t have you aching with laughter, The Family Stone will have you sobbing like a little girl.

Full Review Source: Kansas City Star | comment Comment
12/16/05
Robert W. Butler
Robert W. Butler
Kansas City Star

It's the kind of warm-hearted, insightful comedy that should become a holiday viewing tradition.

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
12/16/05
Louis B. Hobson
Louis B. Hobson
Jam! Movies

It plays almost like Terms of Endearment crossed with the feel-good yule romance Love Actually.

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
12/16/05
Bruce Westbrook
Bruce Westbrook
Houston Chronicle

So check your disbelief at the door, bring along a mini-packet of Kleenex, and brace yourself for Two-Ply and the Family Stone.

Full Review Source: Globe and Mail | comment Comment
12/16/05
Rick Groen
Rick Groen
Globe and Mail

What was supposed to be a jewel turns out to be a simple Christmas trinket.

Full Review Source: Detroit News | comment Comment
12/16/05
Tom Long
Tom Long
Detroit News

The film ping-pongs between wacky comedy and heavy drama, and it is so heavy on plot and character that it takes on a sitcomlike quality.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
12/16/05
Jeff Vice
Jeff Vice
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

When The Family Stone did touch me, I had such mixed feelings, I half-wished the movie had kept its hands to itself.

Full Review Source: Denver Rocky Mountain News | comment Comment
12/16/05
Robert Denerstein
Robert Denerstein
Denver Rocky Mountain News

Suddenly we're wiping away tears, glancing around to make sure no one noticed we had fallen for this steaming cup of melodrama.

Full Review Source: Denver Post | comment Comment
12/16/05
Michael Booth
Michael Booth
Denver Post

It's all fairly obvious and manipulative, though it manages to pander no more than average, and does contain a fair bit of wry humor and wit.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
12/16/05
Tim Cogshell
Tim Cogshell
Boxoffice Magazine

The movie is a holiday romantic comedy that wants to put the holiday romantic comedy out of business.

Full Review Source: Boston Globe | comment Comment
12/16/05
Wesley Morris
Wesley Morris
Boston Globe

I don't mind being manipulated as long as it's done well, and writer/director Thomas Bezucha knows how to steer an audience. A great first 'studio' film for Bezucha!

Full Review Source: Supercala.com | comment Comment
12/16/05
John Venable
John Venable
Supercala.com

Like most of these family get-together films, it's not quirky enough to be interesting or amusing enough to be funny. The drama sometimes weighs as much as mom's fruitcake.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/16/05
Michael Ferraro
Michael Ferraro
Film Threat

Rarely have I seen such a maudlin, manipulative, mean-spirited mess masquerading as a holiday comedy.

Full Review Source: Modamag.com | comment Comment
12/16/05
Susan Granger
Susan Granger
Modamag.com

The Family Stone could have been worse. This dysfunctional family 'comedy' could have been directed by critic's darling Wes Anderson...

Full Review Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette | comment Comment
12/16/05
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
 
 
81 - 100 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >> >|
all

Latest News for The Family Stone

February 01, 2007: Critical Consensus: "Because" Is Less Than So-So; "Messengers" Not Screened -- Guess The Tomatometer!
This week at the movies, we've got mother/daughter conflict ("Because I Said So," starring Diane Keaton and Mandy Moore) and dark proceedings on a North Dakota... More...

December 14, 2006: Box Office Guru Preview: Dragons and Webs Duke It Out at Theaters
Hollywood studios try to inject some juice into the North American box office this weekend by unleashing three big new releases aimed at getting people back into the habit of... More...

December 07, 2006: Box Office Guru Preview: Mel, Cameron, & Leo Battle For #1 Spot
A wave of new releases hits the multilplexes on Friday as the North American box office looks to bounce back after a slugglish weekend and get the final month of the year... More...

December 19, 2005: Big Ape Swings Through the Weekend Box Office
OK, so "King Kong" didn't exactly storm out of the gates following its release last Wednesday, but the lovestruck gorilla enjoyed a rather impressive 3-day weekend all... More...

See All

More DVDs

Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
15% 15% The Ugly Truth
98% 98% Up
36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
68% 68% Funny People
25% 25% Four Christmases
45% 45% Shorts

More New Releases…

What’s Hot On RT

Prince of Persia

Prince of Persia

Your first look at the swashbuckler.

Vampires

Vampires

We rank cinema's bloodsuckers.

Avatar

Avatar

The full trailer for Cameron's epic.

2012

2012

12 facts about Emmerich's disaster flick.

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
9
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
106
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
  • 6 Reasons 'Twilight' Is Doomed Source: The Wrap
64
  • Forbes Names Hollywood's Most Overpaid Actors Source: Forbes
20
  • Chris Weitz Says He's (Almost) Done with Directing Source: Film School Rejects
26
  • Spider-Man 4 Casting Rumors Multiply Like Rabbits Source: Deadline Hollywood Daily
51
  • McTeigue Says Superman Is "In a Weird Place" Source: MTV
204
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
162
  • Critics Consensus: New Moon Wanes
129
  • Tomatometer Watch: Will Twilight's New Moon Dazzle?
97
  • Total Recall: Star-Crossed Lovers
75
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
53
  • Five Favorite Films with Werner Herzog
50
  • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
38
  • Friday Harvest: New Moon, Avatar, and more!
32
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
3
  • Ho, ho, ho! It's RT's Great Big Gift Guide!
0
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
3
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
8
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
19
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
6
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
17
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • The Family Stone at Rotten Tomatoes
  • The Family Stone at IGN
  • The Family Stone at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
RT on YouTube
RT on YouTube External Link

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

RT on Twitter
RT on Twitter External Link

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.