Having recently broken up with her boyfriend Anna Kendrick travels to Chicago to spend Christmas with her brother (Mark Webber) his wife (Melanie Lynsky) and their two year old son. While there she is a low level mess. Directed by Joe Swanberg, who Kendrick would work with again the following year in 'Digging for Fire', 'Happy Christmas' is an example of "mumbelcore" (which spell check wants to change to Dumbeldore) a lose genra defined by low budget, improvisational structure and a focus on relationships.
Mark & Melanie have a strong and functional marriage, Anna's presence adds some stress to it but they adapt. At first Melanie is a little leary of Anna, especially after Mark has to pick her up drunk at a party her first night in town, but the two form a bond while outlining a romance novel together. Anna and Mark have a scene where they get stoned together, and Marks friend played by director Swanberg tries to form a relationship with Anna, but finds it difficult to do anything quite right. Leah Dunham is also in this as Anna's friend. Like Anna's visit the movie starts a little rocky but really grew on me. ***
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