'Perfect Holiday' is warm and fuzzy, if not exciting

Watching 'The Perfect Holiday' is a lot like getting socks for Christmas: Better than finding coal in your stocking, but not exactly as thrilling as unwrapping a big-screen HDTV. But at least these socks are comfortably warm and fuzzy, if not exactly stylish, and they fit as if you've worn them for years.

This cheerful family film is rather clumsily built around one of the more common romantic-comedy stumblingblocks: One half of a couple clearly destined to be together tells a ridiculous lie, and mishaps ensue. In this case the fabricator is aspiring songwriter Benjamin (Morris Chestnut), moonlighting as Santa at the mall. An adorable little girl tells him all she wants as a gift is for a man to say something nice to her divorced mom Nancy (Gabrielle Union, who, one might imagine, is far from short of compliments).

Benjamin complies. Of course he does. He's a good guy looking for true love. One would think his problem would be stumbling over too many Ms. Rights - have these screenwriters seen Morris Chestnut? - but quickly the bigger issue becomes his (inexplicable) tall tale about being an office-supplies salesman. The web grows ever more tangled when one of Nancy's sons resents Benjamin's presence, and Nancy's rapper ex-husband (Charles Q. Murphy), a sporadic dad at best, wants to record one of Benjamin's songs.

There's a sweet touch of whimsy in 'The Perfect Holiday,' set in a town where tiny snowflakes sprinkle softly, and a happy, busybody narrator (Queen Latifah) occasionally lends a magical hand to propel the action. More bizarre is her dour sidekick, Mr. Bah Humbug (Terrence Howard), who, as far as I can tell, is some sort of sulky angel.

Funnier is Murphy (Eddie's big brother) as J-Jizzy, who neglects his kids until he needs them to sell albums and whose idea of a holiday carol is 'I Saw Mommy Capping Santa Claus.' The jokes at the expense of hip-hop excess aren't terribly original, but there's no denying they're funny.

The messages here are what you'd expect: Love your family. Don't be selfish. Don't tell lies. Have a happy holiday. Christmas doesn't have to be perfect to entertain you. Just like this movie.