The Christmas countdown is officially dwindling, and there’s no better way to get in the spirit with an annual watch of This Christmas.
Like the Donny Hathaway classic it’s named after, This Christmas, produced by Will Packer, was released in theaters on Nov. 21, 2007. Over the years, it has become a household staple, filled with just the perfect amount of fun, fellowship and family drama.
What is This Christmas about?
According to the film’s Rotten Tomatoes synopsis:
At holiday time, family matriarch Ma’Dere Whitfield (Loretta Devine) assembles her large brood for their first reunion in four years. However, family ties show signs of strain when various secrets come to light, especially concerning Marine Claude’s (Columbus Short) true military status, Quentin’s (Idris Elba) debts and teenage Baby’s (Chris Brown) secret plans to become a singer.
Claude’s secret
In a story about your average Black family coping with change during the holidays, at its climax, the plot of This Christmas takes an unexpected turn when a family argument causes a domino effect, which ends with Short’s character, Claude, being taken away in handcuffs for disorderly conduct, which took place in an earlier scene when he pulled out a gun to defend his girlfriend (whom his family knows nothing about) after a night out that wound up being full of surprises when the siblings learn Baby has major singing chops.
As the family scrambles to determine the status of Claude’s arrest, they soon discover his secret white girlfriend, which isn’t even the icing on the cake when viewers reach the end.
Joe’s redemption
Ma’Dere is conflicted about her relationship with Senior, the father of her children. She forbids them from pursuing music because Senior’s love for the craft led him to leave his family behind.
She finds love again in Joe (Delroy Lindo); however, some of her children, despite being adults, find it hard to accept that their mother has moved on, especially Quentin, who lets his disdain for his stepfather be known quite often.
The turning point in Quentin and Joe’s relationship occurs when Joe comes to his rescue after he’s approached by the men he owes money to as Quentin attempts to flee town, which turns into a bathroom fight, speaking to Joe’s love for the family as his own because he’s also the reason Claude can see his family again before returning to his military duties.
Lisa’s empowerment
Throughout the film, Ma’Dere’s daughters, Lisa (Regina King) and Kelli (Sharon Leal), bicker, but in the end, you can tell their tension stems from their wanting the best for one another.
It’s Kelli who confronts Lisa about her cheating, manipulative husband, Malcolm (Laz Alonso), eventually empowering her to take a stand, which leads to an iconic baby oil scene that the culture can never forget.
Here’s What happens at the final party
Each character seems to have their redemption story by the end. Kelli finds her person in high school sweetheart Gerald, played by Mekhi Phifer, and Baby takes a stand against Ma’Dere and sings during Christmas service despite her wishes.
The final scene closes with a living party known all too well by Black families during the holidays. Everyone is having a joyous time and participating in a Soul Train line, proving that family is all we have, no matter how much we bicker and fight.
This Christmas is streaming on Hulu.
The post ‘This Christmas’ Ending, Explained: How The Whitfield Family Finds Redemption Amid Holiday Chaos appeared first on Blavity.
