Watch Kids' Reviews of
LOVE THE COOPERS

Love the Coopers directed by Jessie Nelson is a holiday comedy full of subplots that get many of the people in the audience laughing. This movie is packed with big stars such as John Goodman, Diane Keaton, Alan Arkin, Marisa Tomei and Amanda Seyfried.

This movie is about an extended family, the Coopers who come together every Christmas and have a big family dinner party. It's about their individual lives and how their family acts when they are together.

My two favorite characters are Joe and Eleanor, played by Jake Lacy and Olivia Wilde, because they have great chemistry together and I kept rooting for them to finally become a couple. Their story provides the most humor and is the strongest subplot in the whole movie. Their scenes are hilarious and made me really believe they should be a couple.

There are many great actors in Love the Coopers, and there are some flaws. Charlotte and Emma are supposed to be sisters with negative history and competition, but the age difference between Diane Keaton and Marisa Tomei (who play them) is too great to be believable. It doesn't make sense. Also, I was disappointed that some of the big stars aren't used to their full potential. For example, Amanda Seyfried, a great actress from Mamma Mia isn't in a lot of scenes and Steve Martin is used only as the narrator. This left me wanting more.

I found the plot and characters a little hard to follow in the very beginning. It's difficult to know who is who because they switch back-and-forth from different family members without telling us who they are.

Every set and scene reminds us that it is Christmas, including the funny, the good and the bad aspects. It gently pokes fun of holiday traditions and made me wonder about some of my own.

I rate Love the Coopers 3.5 out of 5 stars because I enjoyed the clever writing, but I didn't really relate to the sisters or to some of the inappropriate humor.

I recommend it to ages 12 to 18 because there is some extreme kissing and inappropriate public behavior. They also tell some religious jokes about Christians and they use some mild profanity. This film is in theaters now so, go check it out.

Reviewed by Mia A., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11

I saw this with my husband and daughter in law and we all just howled. It reminds me of a Nora Ephron film with all the family and personal drama going on. There is a bit of profanity and sexuality so I wouldn't take your younger kids but, for teens it's a go.

It has a great ensemble cast, each with his or her own personal drama going on. Diane Keaton and John Goodman (who has lost a ton of weight and looks great) make a very believable couple whose kids and grandkids are all slightly off kilter. Steve Martin, who narrates the film through the eyes of the family dog, is a delight. And, the love story between Angie and Sergeant is one of the highlights of the film. "I never believed in love at first sight until now."

As Leo Tolstoy said, "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." But, you might just see an element of your own family in this film.

When four generations of the Cooper clan come together for their annual Christmas Eve celebration, a series of unexpected visitors and unlikely events turn the night upside down, leading them all toward a surprising rediscovery of family bonds and the spirit of the holiday. Starring Diane Keaton, John Goodman, Ed Helms, Alan Arkin, Marisa Tomei and more