Hot Take: It’s hard to pull off movies with multiple, intertwining storylines as so many things can go wrong. Sometimes, Love the Coopers gets things wrong but gets plenty right to deliver an entertaining, adequate kick-off to the holiday movie season.
As I settled in to watch Love the Coopers, I was armed and ready to blast the movie through some snarky live tweets during the viewing. However, as Steve Martin began the narration, I was completely disarmed by such great casting, I was shaken in to accepting Love the Coopers as something watchable. By the time the disposable storyline involving Ed Helms’ character was introduced, I was already willing to forgive a miss or two.
While Love the Coopers isn’t one of the best films of 2015, it is entertaining enough to qualify as watchable. The challenge it attempts is to weave together a holiday tapestry of four generations of Coopers (with 4 main plots and a handful of subplots) and hold it together without characters you like getting lost and characters you loathe getting too much screen time. Sometimes it works — Bucky (Alan Arkin) and waitress Ruby (Amanda Seyfried) — sometimes it doesn’t — the plight of Hank (Ed Helms). Then, there’s storylines which might work if given more time — husband Sam (John Goodman) and wife Charlotte (Diane Keaton) — and storylines which might work but you’re not 100% sure — Eleanor (Olivia Wilde) and Joe (Jake Lacy). There’s characters who show up and are present and accounted for — Emma (Marisa Tomei) and Officer Percy (Anthony Mackie) — but it’s hard to argue the movie is better or worse with or without them.
As the previous paragraph illustrates, it’s rather crowded at the Coopers. Eventually, the stories tie together like a partially executed popcorn string around the tree. The flaws are evident and the film attempts to hide it’s flaws with ornamental Christmas references to the point of overload. (How many choruses walk through the city of Pittsburgh during the holidays and why are there so many Santas?)
When the flakes settle, there’s too much going on to love the Coopers but there’s likely something for everyone to like. Unfortunately, there’s probably something for everyone to hate, too.
“Spoiler Free” Pros
- Steve Martin’s Narration
For some reason, Martin’s narration is as fitting as hot cocoa on a wintry eve. - Rags
The St. Bernard of the Coopers steals the show not once, not twice but many times throughout. (Full disclosure: I’m a cat person rarely impressed by dogs… so that has to add some credibility to my praise, right?) - Arkin and Seyfried
The pair have real chemistry which is somewhat of a pleasant surprise as it makes little sense in the beginning. There’s not a romantic relationship but there’s something there and it’s interesting to watch the two develop.
“Spoiler Free” Cons
- We Need a Little (Less) Christmas
The establishing shots found early in the film to give us that holiday feel never end. If this were a drinking game and you’re supposed to drink every time you see a Santa, get a designated driver. - Does Ed Helms Have to Sing In Everything He’s In?
The height of trite. - Sometimes Less Would Be More
I wanted more of Anthony Mackie and Amanda Seyfried. Mackie’s character goes nowhere, Seyfried’s disappears and reappears inconveniently. - Oh… and It’s Love, the Coopers Not Love the Coopers!
The title comes from a greeting card signature… where’s the punctuation??? (It’s on the greeting card but not on the poster!)