Ian and I also saw The Family Stone this weekend, starring Sarah Jessice Parker and Diane Keaton, two lovely leading ladies. It seems at first glance to be the typical holiday film. You know, the one where everyone comes together for a holiday meal be it Thanksgiving or Christmas, and the family rubs each other the wrong way, antics ensue, and finally everyone comes together at the end. And yes, to some degree, this is just another one of those films. But it’s a little different in several ways. One, it has a great cast featuring the above mentioned women, Dermot Mulroney, Claire Danes, and several other recognizable faces. Secondly, I like that it introduces a open-minded, liberal family and the weird outsider is the conservative, bottled up girlfriend (played by Parker). And I loved that there was a gay, deaf son with an African-American partner, AND they were adopting a child.

One scene in particular was great. Parker’s character was trying to discuss whether being gay was nature versus nurture, and if bringing a child into a gay home was the best thing. While the character was showing her ignorance, you felt for her because what she was trying to get at was, if being gay was harder in life, would you wish it on your children? It comes out terribly, and ruins the family’s meal. But I just loved when Diane Keaton (the mom) turns to her gay son and tells him: “You are more normal than most of the assholes sitting at this table.” It just made me cry. Every gay or lesbian who has ever wondered about how normal they are, I imagine instantly feels comforted by her remarks.

A great movie for the holidays, definitely go see it!