Everything I need to know, I learned from ‘The Family Stone’
I don’t know how the world feels about The Family Stone. In my head, I believe it is extremely underrated because I just don’t hear enough people talking about it on a regular basis. If I ruled the world, this movie would always be on TV so I could watch it all of the time. (I own it, so that doesn’t even make sense, but go with it.) One time, fellow HelloGiggler Katie Patton and I watched this movie together and live-chatted it with each other and it was the best. So I guess what I am saying is The Family Stone is a really good and potentially underrated Christmas movie and you guys should all watch it and cry together. EINTKILF The Family Stone
1. Meeting your future in-laws is the worst.
Or meeting your person’s family is the worst, however you want to phrase it. Listen, I have only done this twice because I have only had two serious boyfriends, but both times I was so riddled with nerves that a cardboard cutout me could have just gone in my place. I am 1000000% not myself when I first meet most people unless the scenario is something I’m comfortable, but there is just so much pressure when meeting your relationship person’s family! I know how it is! I know what people think about! And I know I am very likable and, as far as I know, no one’s family has ever particularly disliked me, but it’s like. . .what if the mom doesn’t think I’m pretty enough for her son? What if the dad thinks I’m dumb because I majored in English and skipped class a lot?! What if the siblings are like, scary or mean or racists?! I mean, all of that is extreme, but they are really real thoughts I have had. You have to breathe deep and get over it though. Push past awkward. (Usually alcohol isn’t even IN this situation, which makes it worse.)Oh, so, this is kind of the basic plot of the movie, not just a random rant.
2. And it is also okay to care what the family thinks.
So after Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker, duh) meets Everett’s (Dermot Mul-hottie) family, things go exactly like my nightmares. The family doesn’t like her, his sister Amy (my #1 celeb crush
Rachel McAdams) is super mean to her, the mom (Diane Keaton, Goddess) is clearly not stoked, and everything is very awkward. Meredith tries to tough it out, but keeps miserably failing. In a very perfect piece of dialogue, Meredith tells Amy that she doesn’t care whether she likes her or not. To which Amy perfectly replies: Because of course she does, and of course she does.
3. Siblings are the best.
The Stone family has five kids (which is a ton) and they all get along, even as adults. Seeing Everett interact with Ben (Luke Wilson, Dream Human) is so hilarious because they are seemingly really different, yet they are perfect brothers. The sibling interactions between not only the Stone kids, but also between Meredith and her sister Julie (Claire Danes) are so believable.
Sibling dynamics are definitely one of the reasons this movie stays high on my list of favorites.
4. Appreciate the time you have together.
Without being too spoiler-y, I will say something vague like…our time on this beautiful mess of a planet is not guaranteed. Holidays are such a jumbled, disorganized, financially and emotionally stressful time, but if you have a family, spend time with them. 5. There is no normal.
No, The Family Stone didn’t teach me this. I have never liked the word normal and I never use the word normal, but there is a scene in this movie that just drives home the whole idea that normalcy is absolutely relative. This scene (let’s be real, even this GIF) makes me cry every single time. I do feel bad for Meredith, though. She isn’t intending to be offensive and she digs herself into a hole as she tries to explain that she never meant what she keeps saying. Ignorance is never bliss.
6. Don’t be jerks.
As I have already mentioned a bit, Everett’s family isn’t all that nice to Meredith. I am definitely one to not be nice to people I don’t like, but I will advise that no one should go entirely out of their way to be mean to anyone. Just don’t be a jerk. Be more like a Kelly (Craig Nelson), who humors his nutty family, but then also defends Meredith when she needs him to, telling his family that they are to welcome her back like civilized people.
7. Let your freak flag fly.
When beautiful Ben takes Meredith out for a drink to let her vent about Amy and everything else, they really hit it off, likely because Ben encourages Meredith to “let her freak flag fly.” She literally lets her hair down and drinks beer and dances with police officers and has a genuinely good time. Hey everyone: let your hair down sometimes. It’ll all be alright.
I am so obsessed with him.
8. Never settle for less than real love.
Meredith and Everett start to fall apart a bit when Meredith and Ben are clearly drawn to each other at the exact same time that Everett starts falling for Julie, who is quite the opposite of her sister. Of course, Everett planned on proposing to Meredith, yet his mother, Sybil, has a really hard time giving him the family ring to pass on to her. Toward the end, when Meredith and Everett are clearly not going to work out, Sybil and Everett have a heart-wrenching conversation. I cry with them, always. But honestly guys, I am not going to pretend that all love stories look like Noah and Allie, or Jack and Rose (cause who knows if they would have stayed in love; they knew each other for like a day and a half). Real love doesn’t always look like that. I suggest when you find real love, the good, solid, comfortable stuff, you hold on to it. When you don’t have to wonder because you just know? That’s the stuff. I would hate to see you not find what you really want, as well. I am the Sybil to all of your Everetts.
9. Accept your family for who they are.Meredith: I’m just as good as any of you! Amy: Maybe better. Meredith: What’s so great about you guys? Sybil: Oh, nothing! It’s just that we’re all that we’re all we’ve got. Your family is all that you’ve got. Sometimes family means something bigger than the same DNA, and that’s okay too. But your family consists of the people that will always stand by your side, through sickness and health, through money woes and successes, through broken bones and broken hearts. (Remind me to use these for vows one day.) Forgive them for screwing you up, and forgive them for their imperfections. They are, also, only human. Featured image via, normal GIF via, Amy GIF via, Meredith GIF via, Everett and Sybil GIF via, the girls image via.