In short, almost everything that can go wonky with a family goes wonky and the seams that hold them together are severely tested. Given the talented star cast, the film could have tapped more of an emotional vein, which is the essence of the story - the interplay of complex emotions in a family awk ... In short, almost everything that can go wonky with a family goes wonky and the seams that hold them together are severely tested. Given the talented star cast, the film could have tapped more of an emotional vein, which is the essence of the story - the interplay of complex emotions in a family awkwardly lumped together for seven days. Sometimes sappy and sometimes over-the-top, it is mostly enjoyable.   { more

The problem is the characters are either idiots or unlikable snobs — and the actors don't really do anything to make them likable despite their apparent lousiness. The film also makes the mistake of trying to make you sympathise with the characters despite their overall horribleness. And when you h ... The problem is the characters are either idiots or unlikable snobs — and the actors don't really do anything to make them likable despite their apparent lousiness. The film also makes the mistake of trying to make you sympathise with the characters despite their overall horribleness. And when you have a movie filled with unlikable people in a rather boring setup, it becomes rather problematic to keep your interest levels up.   { more