This Christmas 2007

This film captures the dynamics of a middle-class African-American family as they gather for Christmas after several years apart. The heart of the story unfolds in Ma’dere’s home, played by Loretta Devine, showcasing the complexity and reality of familial ties.

As the family comes together, numerous sensitive topics arise, often leading to heated exchanges—verbal clashes and even a memorable sister-on-sister brawl. Tensions flare as one sister advocates for selling the family’s dry cleaning business to divide the proceeds, while another brother finds himself entangled with loan sharks. Complicating matters further, another sibling is AWOL from the Marine Corps, and one sister has brought along her boyfriend from a historically black college.

Despite the marketing attempts to label it a heartwarming comedy, this film does not shy away from presenting dramatic undertones marked by violence and strong language. It paints a raw and unfiltered portrait of family life, diverging from the typical Hollywood narrative. This is a genuine slice-of-life experience that thoughtfully examines themes pertinent to African-Americans and the broader American experience, illustrating that this family—imperfections included—does not conform to the usual cinematic ideal.