Alle Jahre wieder - Weihnachten mit den Coopers

I stumbled upon this movie over the Christmas period during a family outing. We'd planed on seeing another movie but it was sold out, so we opted to give this film a try. On the surface the film appears to be a generic Christmas comedy, you'd expect a feel good family film with plenty of slapstick and silly moments, however it's much different.

It's the well known and experienced cast that gets you intrigued, and the promotional material for the film makes it appear like a family film. I'd say the film is aimed more towards an adult audience. It starts very slow and the colours are very bland and dark, not at all like a fun filled Christmas film. It isn't long before you realise it's more of a dark comedy. We check in with all the different members of the Cooper family and soon realise they are all having a bad run up to Christmas. Almost a more realistic telling of what many might be experiencing at that time of the year.

The film doesn't really get interesting until the Coopers get together for Christmas, the mood gets a lot more heartwarming and the jokes hit a lot better. The acting is good throughout but some of the dialogue is questionable. There are some thought provoking moments too which led me to feel satisfied by the end. Not at all for younger viewers, the film relates only to the older viewer who understands the dynamics of family life at Christmas.

Overall the film is just average, with a couple of funny moments and an interesting insight into family's getting back together for Christmas. Don't expect to see a Christmas classic, but still worth a watch.