Undescribable Perfection

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I think that Holidays films are pretty easy to make, and pretty safe too. Its pretty hard to make a bad Christmas movie, and this isn't a BAD Christmas movie but its also just sort of slapped together in some attempt to make a black cinema take on Christmas films. Its very one dimensional and mostly silly with some bizarre turns from some actors who are honestly better than this. Its part romance, part family movie and part Christmas movie but none of it is done particularly well. Again it isn't a terrible movie but it also certainly won't blow anyone's mind or even become a Christmas staple whatsoever.Gabrielle Union seems to have a decent following though I've never seen her do anything truly outstanding and this doesn't help. Her character is empty and shallow and just generally not very likable. She is the lead character and the film requires more than what she provides. Morris Chestnut is the male lead in the film and he is better than Union, and actually shows some level of emotion but the script doesn't give him a lot to work with. Charles Murphy gives a funny, slapstick, silly performance as J-Jizzy, the rap star. The character is ridiculous and over the top but Murphy does pretty good and at least provides some laughs. And in two very bizarre turns in the characters Queen Latifah and Terrance Howard show up as strange Angel/Devil combinations known as Mrs. Christmas and Bah Humbug. Howard looks miserable in his role (even more than what is required) and delivers nasty one liners that just seem mean spirited from beginning to end and Queen Latifah just shows up at some strange intervals in the film as some sort of narrator/genie.Director Lance Rivera comes out of the music industry and I'm not sure why he did this either. I mean it seems like Black Entertainment Television just wanted to force together some sort of black Christmas special without worrying about any depth or emotion or good performances. Is it entertaining? Mildly. The romance even works at times but this really is just skippable. I wouldn't watch it again unless I had to. 6/10

Don't think to much - just be entertained Christmas-style.Normally this concept wouldn't really work - you know how it's gonna end - and all... normally I would get bored fast. Since Queen Latifah was in it I wanted to give it a try (I just love that woman), and it paid of.First of all: Gabrielle Union (as the mother) and Morris Chestnut (as the deserving nice guy) has a sweet chemistry together: it's not passionate high-lows, but more the lasting love chemistry they portray. Second: the supporting actors does great in their parts. Faizon Love as Jamal is delivering some solid comic relief and still maintains his character as someone you would like as a best friend. Charles Q. Murphy has a great time being the career-oriented dad with an ego as great as his bank account and the empathy missing in action. The kids are cute too - especially Mallik Hammond's take on the little kid that want's mom and dad back together by all means. The Angel following Latifah was hilarious in his many disguises - a subtle humor but an acting performance that kept my focus on him when he was on screen. As always I loved Queen Latifah - here as a Christmas spirit.Third: while the story is quite easy to figure out, and there's a few spots along the way where you do the face-palm, it's written well, it's sugar-filled, but not without sense and I ended up feeling all Christmas- y.

The movie was a great movie. Was it predictable? Yes all family movies are. It's wasn't a mystery or action flick. But it was very good. Morris Chestnut was good. There was just enough comic relief to make some parts funny. I liked the way they really focused on the older son's dislike of the "new guy" in his mother's life. The supporting cast members were very good. Lots of stars with little roles that made me laugh. They showed a lot of depth in the characters. Queen Latifah, Katt Williams, among others were great! If you are looking for a nice wholesome feel good movie. This is the one for you! Not Oscar worthy but definitely a good DVD Christmas movie.

The Perfect Holiday is not necessarily a bad movie but its far from a great 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 cliché 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.