Movie Madness : Love the Coopers

“Love the Coopers” is pretty much a romantic comedy/holiday movie with drama mixed in as well. I’ve gotta admit I’m a sucker for a romantic comedy. And for some strange reason, I happen to dig holiday movies. Strange because I like the holidays better when they’re over. Lol. The holidays can be stressful for many, and I just don’t get caught up in the frenzy. But even a Jewish girl like me has a soft spot for holiday flicks. So, “Love the Coopers” was def a movie on my holiday list this year.

For their annual Christmas Eve celebration, Sam and Charlotte Cooper (John Goodman and Diane Keaton) invite their whole family to their home. The clan includes son Hank (Ed Helms), daughter Eleanor (Olivia Wilde) and Charlotte’s father, Bucky (Alan Arkin). Sam and Charlotte are planning to split up after the holidays, Hank is going through divorce, and Eleanor has issues when it comes to relationships. Let’s face it…we all have crap, right? But sometimes you have to laugh and just appreciate what you do have. Or at least you gotta give it your best shot.

And while this movie makes you laugh at times, it’s not all fun and games. The characters have struggles and the holidays seem to magnify everything. Boy, don’t we all know that?? And though I must say some of the characters had me a bit confused in the beginning, by the end it all came together…in a good way. And that’s pretty much all I need to enjoy a movie. Plus I could relate to Eleanor (and all her insecurities), I adored Bucky (with his years of wisdom and coolness), and the narrator turned out to be like your best friend. You’ll see…

So go see “Love the Coopers” this holiday season. And BTW even if you don’t like the holidays, you might just “Love the Coopers”. :)