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Perfect Holiday, The
Yari Film Group

Perfect Holiday, The reviews
Critic Score
Metascore: 32 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
5.5 out of 10
based on 22 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 2 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie

MPAA RATING: PG for brief language and some suggestive humor

Starring Queen Latifah, Terrence Howard, Faizon Love, Gabrielle Union, and Morris Chestnut

An African American take on the classic and beloved Christmas family film, The Perfect Holiday tells the story of Nancy, a divorced mother of three who is so busy raising her children that she’s forgotten to take care of herself as well. With Christmas fast approaching, she decides to take her kids to the mall to meet Santa Claus, not knowing that her youngest daughter Emily has sensed her mother’s sadness and is determined to use her time with Santa to make her mom happy again. Just a few days prior, Emily heard her mom say that all she wanted for Christmas was a compliment from a man, so that’s exactly what she tells Santa. Ironically, Santa, as it turns out, is office supply salesman and struggling songwriter Benjamin, who ends up giving Nancy just what she wants for Christmas, and much, much more. (Yari Film Group)


GENRE(S): Family/Kids  |  Romance  
WRITTEN BY: Jeff Stein
Nat Mauldin
Marc Calixte
Lance Rivera
 
DIRECTED BY: Lance Rivera  
RELEASE DATE: Theatrical: December 12, 2007 
RUNNING TIME: 104 minutes, Color 
ORIGIN: USA 

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

75
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Andy Spletzer
Either you're in the mood for a sweet and simple Christmas movie or you're not. If you are, then Perfect Holiday should fit the bill nicely.
Read Full Review
67
Entertainment Weekly Whitney Pastorek
Why throw in a bizarre device involving Queen Latifah as a narrating angel and a creepy, sallow Terrence Howard as her adversary? Their A-list names may be a draw, but it's too bad no one thought the endearing performances in this charming (if cliché) family romance would be enough.
Read Full Review
63
Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
There's not much original about the film, but it's played with high spirits and good cheer, there are lots of musical interludes, and it's pitched straight at families.
Read Full Review
50
Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips
Strives to be nothing more than easygoing and heartwarming.
Read Full Review
50
Premiere Ryan Stewart
An inoffensive piece of seasonal movie-muzak.
Read Full Review
50
Salon.com Andrew O'Hehir
There's almost no such thing as an entertaining holiday trifle anymore -- the kind of casual, cheerful little picture that you might see on a whim and end up enjoying, even beyond the breadth of your modest expectations. The Perfect Holiday is an attempt, at least, to resurrect the idea of the trifle
Read Full Review
50
San Francisco Chronicle David Wiegand
May be far from perfect, but the big question is why you're sitting in a movie theater watching it instead of cuddling up at home with the remote in one hand and a steaming toddy in the other.
Read Full Review
40
The Hollywood Reporter Michael Rechtshaffen
If "This Christmas" served up a crowd-pleasing portion of yuletide "Soul Food," then The Perfect Holiday offers dried-out leftovers.
Read Full Review
40
Variety John Anderson
Neither perfect nor much of a holiday, more like a fruitcake passed around from arthritic aunt to demented uncle -- stale, predictable and made with fossilized ingredients.
Read Full Review
38
New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman
If you're really hoping for a perfect holiday, steer clear of this stale fruitcake of a comedy.
Read Full Review
38
TV Guide Maitland McDonagh
For a family-friendly holiday comedy, it's still coarse, formulaic and occasionally just plain weird.
Read Full Review
33
The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias
It's a measure of the film's lack of imagination that Morris Chestnut, as an aspiring songwriter logging time as a mall Santa, can't even think of a good fake occupation.
Read Full Review
30
Washington Post Ann Hornaday
A piece of holiday cheese that even Harry & David wouldn't touch.
Read Full Review
30
The New York Times Stephen Holden
Watching the movie is like reaching into a Christmas stocking and pulling out handfuls of cheap plastic toys that are broken.
Read Full Review
30
Village Voice Julia Wallace
The actors distinguish themselves mainly by their ability to make the material, directed and co-written by Lance Rivera, seem even more painfully awkward and unfunny than it already is--which is very.
Read Full Review
30
Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov
Far from perfect and about as much fun as a holiday in Cambodia, this is lightweight yuletide fluffery, offensive neither in tone nor spirit but entirely unnecessary.
Read Full Review
25
Portland Oregonian Marc Mohan
This moronic yuletide time-waster might work as a way to grab a few winks at the mall during last-minute shopping, but it's not going to end up as a highlight on the resume of anyone involved.
Read Full Review
25
Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey
Sappy script. Cheesy supernaturalism. Tired satire.
Read Full Review
25
New York Post Kyle Smith
Most of the comedy comes from dull situations like a fat guy trying to put on a fat suit for no reason.
Read Full Review
12
Boston Globe Wesley Morris
You want to make lemonade from this, but even the lemons stink.
Read Full Review
12
Miami Herald Connie Ogle
A lot like getting socks for Christmas: Better than finding coal in your stocking but not exactly as thrilling as unwrapping a big-screen HDTV.
Read Full Review
10
Chicago Reader J.R. Jones
Wretched yuletide comedy.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now!The average user rating for this movie is 5.5 (out of 10) based on 2 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

James V. gave it a1:
The score of 1 is only because it's a holiday movie with a somewhat happy and cute ending. Other than that, it was a tedious waste of my time. There was absolutely no chemistry between the characters. If you want to see Terrence Howard, Queen Latifah and Gabrielle Union humiliate themselves this is the movie for you. Malik Hammond who plays a thirteen year old boy ends up being the best actor in this film. From the sets, to the writing to the acting, it was a Perfect Disaster that should have never made it to the big screen!!!!

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