You'd have thought Christmas would have been a good time for Ben Affleck. After all, he's starred in so many turkeys he should really clear up.

This latest fowl-up sees him playing Drew Latham, a stinking rich, self-centred marketing maestro who sees Christmas as the chance to make a buck.

However, when it dawns on him that he'll be spending it alone he returns to his childhood home...only to find another family - the Valcos - living there.

Undeterred, the ever-resourceful Drew offers them a small fortune to act as his nearest and dearest over the holiday period. Sorted.

Dad Tom (Gandolfini) is instructed to wear a red santa hat, Drew buys mum Christine (O'Hara) a fashion shoot (that turns up on a porn website) and son Brian (Zuckerman) is kicked out into the garage to make room.

After literally having to follow a script penned by Drew and pretend Bill Macy is the family grandad Doo Dah, prodigal daughter Alicia (Applegate) returns to spoil the party.

There's almost a decent movie struggling to get out but Affleck - with a performance so smug and self-satisfied - squeezes out any faint glimmer of hope.

The man is totally charmless. In fact, if charm came wandering down the street and spotted him it would consider the situation and make a 200 mile detour.

Against such a performance void, the estimable likes of Gandolfini, O'Hara and Applegate struggle vainly to make an impression.

During the opening credits we see an old dearie turn on the gas oven and stick her head in. By the closing credits you know exactly what she was thinking.

Tim Evans