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Here's a look at the new movie I saw this week.

Love the Coopers
Starring: Diane Keaton, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Olivia Wilde, Ed Helms, and Amanda Seyfried
Synopsis: There are a few constants this time of year. The shopping centers are crowded. Egg Nog is plentiful. Family gatherings are on the horizon. And Hollywood will offer holiday movies. Sometimes they come in the form of cozy gems to watch on the Hallmark channel at home. Sometimes they’re funny and heart-warming. Other times, the holiday films focus on what it means to spend time with family — a warts and all approach. “Love the Coopers,” the first Christmas-themed film to hit theaters this season — takes the latter approach. There’s comedy and all the trappings of Christmas. But this isn’t always an easy film to watch. But if we’re honest, it isn’t always easy when families get together for the holidays. Like traditional holiday movies, “Love the Coopers” has some moments of comedy and it has the happy ending you’re expecting. This isn’t a movie that ends on a sour note, but rather a hopeful note. That doesn’t mean everything comes out perfectly. Writer Steven Rogers has a knack for mixing comedy, romance and drama. He’s previously written “Stepmom,” “Hope Floats” and “P.S. I Love You.” You get a similar kind of feel from this movie, with an added layer of holiday themes and cheer. Director Jessie Nelson — whose last film was “I Am Sam” 15 years ago — has a feel for this story and gets the most out of a talented cast. This isn’t a perfect movie, and it’s not light and fluffy ala a movie like “Elf,” but it feels honest and interesting. You invest in the characters and the story, and I liked how it put all those pieces together. The movie makes the most of its cast, too. Arkin, Keaton and Goodman — all veteran actors — sink into their parts and help elevate the material. Helms is good in his role, too, finding a nice blend of comedy and drama. But the story that most drew me in was between Wilde, as daughter Eleanor, and Jake Lacy as the soldier she picks up at the airport. Their scenes and dialogue were some of the best in the film, and their story had, to me, the most interesting arc. It might have also been the most typical and predictable in these kind of films, but their performances made it work. “Love the Coopers” isn’t a perfect movie, and it might not be the kind of instant classic you think of during the holiday season. But it touched on some truth about family and the holidays, and it put it together in an entertaining package.
Rating: PG-13 for thematic elements, language and some sexuality.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:
Friday, November 20 — "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part II," "Spotlight," "The Secret In Their Eyes"
Wednesday, November 25 — "The Night Before," "The Good Dinosaur," "Victor Frankenstein," "Creed"

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