‘That feeling like you’ve landed in the wrong life. Everybody feels that way…’
The reason everyone loves ‘Fairytale of New York’ is that it perfectly captures what makes Christmas so magical. It’s the combination of brazen declarations of love, hope for the future and a small undercurrent of melancholy and longing. Now, Love the Coopers (or Christmas with the Coopers as it is also known) is not on the same level of genius as The Pogues’ festive classic, but it is playing in the same sandbox…
Christmas time sees the Cooper family gather at the home of patriarch Sam (John Goodman) and his wife Charlotte (Diane Keaton). The two of them are on the verge of breaking up after many seemingly happy years together but have agreed to keep their parting of ways to themselves so that their family can enjoy one last Christmas together. And what a family. The rest of the Cooper clan is made up of (deep breath): Ed Helms, Timothée Chalamet, Alan Arkin, Marisa Tomei and Olivia Wilde. Amanda Seyfried features heavily also as a waitress with a dream.
That’s a starry cast and director Jessie Nelson finds it difficult to strike a balance that ensures he gets the best out of everyone. Wilde and Seyfried are probably given the most time and they subsequently provide the best moments. Writer Steven Rogers (I, Tonya) perhaps tries to pack too much plot into this thing to the point where I occasionally forgot how each character fit into the rich tapestry of the Cooper family. Having said that, Nelson does a good job of capturing the complexities of family life. The dynamic served up here feels authentic and lived in and I recognised various moments from family function’s that I myself have attended.
Love the Coopers is perhaps never as strong as the sum of its parts, but in its best moments, it provides a welcome contrast to the more saccharine ensemble Christmas films (looking at you, The Holiday).
