Written, produced, and directed by Preston A. Whitmore II, it is a Christmas-time story that centers on the Whitfield family, whose eldest has come home for the first time in four years.
The matriarch, Shirley Ann "Ma'Dere" Whitfield (Loretta Devine), and her boyfriend, Joe (Delroy Lindo) got joined by her six children: eldest child, Quentin, Jr. (Idris Elba) a musician who is always on the go and has not been home in 4 years, much like their father (Shirley's ex-husband) who abandoned them; eldest daughter, Lisa (Regina King), a housewife, her cheating husband, Malcolm Moore (Laz Alonso) and their two kids Tori & Keshon; the uppity one, Kelli (Sharon Leal), a Harvard grad visiting from New York; Claude (Columbus Short), a U.S. Marine; baby girl, Melanie "Mel" (Lauren London), seven-year college student accompanied by her boyfriend, Devan (Keith Robinson); and the youngest of the bunch, Michael "Baby" (Chris Brown), a photographer and aspiring musician.
In the kitchen, Mel informs Devan about Ma'Dere's ex-husband, "Senior," who left the family to pursue a musical career.
Claude loses his temper with two men who attempt to hit on his (unbeknownst to the rest of the family) wife, Sandi (Jessica Stroup), and he pulls his gun out at the club, causing the Whitfields to flee.
The website's critics' consensus reads: "This Christmas features strong performances and a sharp portrayal of family dynamics, but relies too heavily on holiday movie clichés.
[3] The Guardian rated the film two stars out of five, calling it "formulaic and corny as hell, but a top-notch cast keeps this festive family drama believable - just.
"[4] Cynthia Fuchs of Common Sense Media rated three stars out of five, stating that "while the film makes familial grappling look mostly comic, occasional tensions erupt into full-on fights."
"[5] Roger Moore of Times Herald-Record reviewed the film and described it as "a warm and warmed-over collection of holiday-movie clichés packaged in a movie about a large extended black family."
He also remarks that the film is "a Tyler Perry comedy without the sassy snap, "The Cosby Show" without Bill — which is another way of saying that, novel as the race of the characters is, there's nothing new under this tree 'This Christmas.
'"[6] Nick Schager of Slant Magazine wrote the film about the director "focuses on the spirituality of saying pre-meal grace and the ensuing, chatter-filled feasts, instances that exude a genuineness that’s otherwise sorely lacking from this overstuffed grab bag of conflicts and romantic affairs."
He wrote off "applies to the amiable proceedings as a whole, since the writer-director is ultimately more interested in dishing out unadventurous, heartwarming mush than anything that might qualify as challenging, unexpected, or even boisterous."
He also complains that the film's cast is in the "midst of a crisis," which is a "far cry from the strong and sassy roles" like Regina King plays "a docile and easily influenced housewife willing to jeopardize the family business to save her marriage."
He did note that as "Chris Brown makes his first attempt to transfer his heartthrob status from music to film, most of the cast […] give noteworthy performances in This Christmas."
He concluded that the film is a "feel-good dramedy with better intentions than execution to an outstanding cinematic effort that portrays a slice of African-American life for the archives.
"[8] Emily Phillips of Empire writes that the "writer-director Whitmore II unites a busy ensemble cast from Delroy Lindo to R&B star Chris Brown, and then lands them with the sort of seasonal family friction we all love to hate.
With its made-for-TV plot twists, it’s the film equivalent of the macaroni and cheese matriarch Ma Dear prepares for her offspring - comfort food that’s not good for you.