by MARK SLUTSKY

As every cinema-goer should know by now, there’s nothing as difficult for characters in comedies than visiting their significant other’s family home for the first time. The hilarious potential of this awkward situation has been a Hollywood comedy staple for some years now, since the great success of 2000’s Meet the Parents, the insane success of 2004’s Meet the Fockers and the questionable success of this year’s Monster-in-Law.

The holiday season offering The Family Stone attempts, with mixed results, to blend the Meet the Parents idea with the Christmas family movie template. The movie stars Sarah Jessica Parker as Meredith Morton, a high-powered, uptight New York businesswoman engaged to Everett Stone (Dermot Mulroney), eldest son of the Stone clan. One Yuletide season, the two travel to the picturesque New England town where the family Stone makes its home. Since this is the first time Carrie—I mean Meredith—is to meet most of the family, tensions are somewhat high.

Make that very high. Parker has a pretty thankless role for the most of The Family Stone, playing an extremely buttoned-up, straight-laced and generally unlikable character. But it’s not like the Stones are much better—despite being very attractive and well-cast (Craig T. Nelson as the dad, Diane Keaton as mother Stone, Rachel McAdams, Luke Wilson and Tyrone Giordano as the sibs), they’re pretty vicious, and pounce on SJP immediately.

It’s actually kind of harsh. For the first half of the movie you’d be hard-pressed to find a character to like, let alone sympathize with, which makes it a weirdly alienating experience—especially since the Stone household seems so insanely cozy and warm. But it’s hard to dislike a cast this good forever and eventually things loosen up a bit.

Still, the movie seems to have trouble settling on a tone, veering from comedy of manners to family tearjerker to straight slapstick on a dime. And in some scenes (like a horribly tense fight at dinner) the movie seems to be trying to have it all at once—it’s hard to know whether you’re supposed to be laughing or shifting uncomfortably. The Family Stone is ultimately less funny and touching than it is just plain confusing.

The Family Stone opens Friday, Dec. 16

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