Danny Glover plays an aging widower in this holidays movie. It's been a year since his wife died and now all of his children are gathering back home for Christmas. All the children have problems of their own.

And that's about it. This is about as by the numbers Christmas family drama as you can make it. It's almost comical how every single character has their own little drama moment, their own little life crisis to be solved through the magic of Christmas. And they're such clichéd problems as well. One of the has forgotten to make time for their family. One of them is using a bit too many pills. One of the them doesn't know what direction to take in their life. One of them has problems with their spouse. They're so inoffensive that it's almost offensive in and on itself.

And it's not like the movie isn't well-acted. These are good actors, all of them, with Glover being a legend in his own right. Rather it's the script that doesn't have any backbone to it, nothing to say or to convey.

Then again, even though I was more than a bit exasperated with it, the film is, in the end, harmless. I know that's a faint praise to give, but then, it's a pretty faint movie experience.

See it, don't see it it. It probably won't make much of a difference either way.

After 10-months when his wife Grace passed, Walter (Danny Glover) wants to bring the family together for a Christmas dinner and that may be the last one since he is thinking of selling the house, but has told no one. He knows it won't be easy since many of his children have issues with each other. He just asks them for 5- days to be civil to each other until Christmas.

This is touted as comedy but I found nothing funny in here, no clever lines or good sight-gags. Well, they tried a funny sight-gag when Lonnie (J.B. Smoove) tries to set up the Santa and sleigh on a roof that was not funny, over-acted and actually, quite annoying. Okay, they tried another one when Rachel gets stuck in a window ledge trying to get inside. Could have been funny. Wasn't.

I would call this a slice of life that many will recognize as something that may have happened in their lives during a Christmas or some- such holiday when all are not so civil to each other. Hey, it happens. For a Christmas movie there is very little Christmas music in here.

In time we learn all the issues each sibling has with each other and we really don't care about them, but you know the script, by the end of all this, will resolve everything. And then all are happy. Nice, eh?

Danny Glover is always good in any role he takes. As Walter he has a lot on his mind: selling the house, making sure his kids don't kill each other and looking constantly for the recipe his wife Grace used to make her masterpiece: Sweet Potato Pie.

Notables: the siblings: Gabrielle Union as Rachel a single mother trying to finish law school; Kimberly Elise as Cheryl who is married to Lonnie a one-time basketball star; Romany Malco as Christian the politician who is married to Sonya (Nicole Are Parker); Jessie T. Usher as Evan the High School basketball star who hopes to make it to the pros.

Other notables: John Michael Higgins as Brooks the manager of Christian running for Congress; Omar Epps as Malachi who is constantly after Rachel as his love interest; and Mo'Nique as Aunt May and Walter's sister-in-law. And let's not forget Keri Hilson as Jasmine who Rachel invites to the Christmas dinner knowing this will upset Cheryl because she, Rachel, knows Lonnie had sex with Jasmine. You will learn that Rachel and Cheryl can't stand each other.

The story moves along at a good pace, the dialogues come quick, but again nothing funny as I saw it. There should be a category that lists some movies as: COULD HAVE BEEN FUNNY. Okay then, that is my category. This is pleasant, not funny, but more of a kind of slice of life story. Kinda. (5/10)

Violence: Not really. Sex: No. Nudity: No .Language: Small stuff and not much of it.

There are two types of Christmas movies: those that make you laugh, and those that make you cry. Since it's such a sentimental time of year, it's very tricky to accomplish both. That's why no matter how valiantly Almost Christmas tries to make you laugh, it's nearly impossible after you've finished mopping up your tears from the opening sequence. It's an extremely touching montage showing the happily married years of a couple who first got together in 1971. As the years and Christmases pass, they raise four children. It truly embodies the age-old question, "Where did the time go?" The montage ends with a gray-haired Danny Glover (the husband) holding the program for his wife's funeral.

How can you laugh after that? The premise of the rest of the film is also sad: Danny's four adult children have all gone their separate ways and no longer get along. He invites them to come home for the first Christmas without their mother, and it just isn't the same. Once again, how can you laugh at that? Well, this movie certainly tries, with little squabbles, quick quips, and family jokes that try to snap you out of the somber mood. I'm sure there are many audience members who won't be able to stop laughing, and for good reason. If the matriarch of the family was still alive and it was just an ordinary family Christmas, I'd split a gut myself.

But keep in mind the title of the film: Almost Christmas. Without the mom, it's just not the same. Anyone who's own mother is the heart and soul of Christmas will probably need to bring a handkerchief with them. I was drawn in by the cast. I love Danny Glover, and I'll watch anything with Gabrielle Union. The other children are played by Kimberly Elise, Romany Malco, and Jessie Usher. In-laws and aunties include Mo'Nique, Nicole Ari Parker, Omar Epps, J. B. Smoove, and John Michael Higgins. All in all, I'm glad I watched it, and I was glad to give my mom an extra hug after the credits rolled.