The Family Stone (2005)

An uptight, conservative businesswoman accompanies her boyfriend to his eccentric and outgoing family's annual Christmas celebration and finds that she's a fish out of water in their free-spirited way of life.

Director:

Thomas Bezucha

Writer:

Thomas Bezucha

Stars:

Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Jessica Parker, Claire Danes

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Claire Danes	...	Julie Morton
Diane Keaton	...	Sybil Stone
Rachel McAdams	...	Amy Stone
Dermot Mulroney	...	Everett Stone
Craig T. Nelson	...	Kelly Stone
Sarah Jessica Parker	...	Meredith Morton
Luke Wilson	...	Ben Stone
Tyrone Giordano	...	Thad Stone (as Ty Giordano)
Brian White	...	Patrick Thomas
Elizabeth Reaser	...	Susannah Stone Trousdale
Paul Schneider	...	Brad Stevenson
Savannah Stehlin	...	Elizabeth Trousdale
Jamie Kaler	...	John Trousdale
Robert Dioguardi	...	David Silver
Carol Locatell	...	Jeweler

Storyline

Everett Stone, who made it on Wall Street, returns home for Christmas with his bride Meredith Morton. His ultra-liberal, anti-conventional rustic Connecticut family doesn't exactly warm to the outsider, who despite her best efforts to please prospective in-laws looks, sounds and acts like the conservative bigots they hate, while various Stones have their own problems. Only matriarch Sibyl Stone's unshakable maverick other son Ben gives her a chance, and as Everett won't actively turn against either, she feels more supported by him and a weird romance blossoms. feeling beleaguered, Meredith calls in help from her easygoing sister Julie, who proves no help to her but soon develops a chemistry with Everett, so everything may now shift if they dare follow their hearts.

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Plot Keywords:

adolescent | boxer shorts | embarrassment | gay character | male bonding | 

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Taglines:

Feel The Love.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content including dialogue, and drug references

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English American Sign Language

Release Date:

16 December 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Untitled Thomas Bezucha Project

Filming Locations:

Connecticut, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$17,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$12,521,027, 18 December 2005

Gross USA:

$60,062,868

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$92,283,851

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Family Stone, Fox 2000 Pictures, Major Studio Partners

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby DTS

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sarah Jessica Parker and Claire Danes, who play sisters in this film, have played a lead character named Carrie on an acclaimed television series. Parker as Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City (1998), and Danes as Carrie Mathison on Homeland (2011).

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Goofs

Some scenes of the Family Stone's "New England town" were actually filmed in the Borough of Madison, NJ. An aerial shot of the town square clearly shows a New Jersey Transit train pulling out of the station, such trains do not run into New England.

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Quotes

Meredith Morton: Isn't there anybody that loves me?

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Connections

Referenced in Peep Show: Mugging (2005)

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Soundtracks

Count on Me
Written by Jesse Barish
Performed by Jefferson Starship
Courtesy of The RCA Records Label
By Arrangement with SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

User Reviews

Trailers do not do it Justice

I totally agree with The Unemployed Critic that the trailers (and the poster) for "The Family Stone" are misleading, and ultimately an insult to the film. My husband and I are cinema addicts, but the trailers convinced us that we could live without another silly and predictable "clash of family cultures" movie. Fortunately the good-to-glowing reviews in American and Australian papers encouraged us to at least give the film a chance. We were rewarded with great writing and acting, lots of laughs and some tears. "The Family Stone" was my favourite of the many movies we saw over the Holidays -- but we almost missed out on it, due to bad Marketing.