Fans of filmmaker Tyler Perry rejoice with the arrival of “This Christmas,” the movie that Perry has been trying (and failing) to make for the past five years.

Here is a film that is smart and funny, full of holiday cheer and a likable cast that makes the somewhat predictable story go down easy.

“This Christmas” centers around the Whitfield family”s first holiday together in four years.

Ma”Dere (Loretta Devine) is delighted by the prospect of having all her children together, but everything is not rosy in the Whitfield family.

Lisa (Regina King) is stuck in a dead-end marriage and resentful of her free-spirited younger sister Kelli (Sharon Leal). Claude (Columbus Short) isn”t sure how to tell his family about his new bride Sandi (Jessica Stroup), while the oldest Whitfield, Quentin (Idris Elba), is still resentful that Ma”Dere has moved on after his father walked out on the family years ago.

Writer/director Preston A. Whitmore II doesn’t exactly tread new ground with this material, but it helps that he doesn”t try to overplay his hand, either (something that has been my biggest complaint with Perry”s films). Whitmore seems more content with delivering a solution in a simple manner and moving on to the film”s next crisis/resolution.

And any director confident enough to end his film with an extended dance sequence involving the whole cast gets bonus points from me.

“This Christmas” also benefits from a huge and talented cast that is capable of lifting the material above mediocrity. The standouts include Delroy Lindo as Ma’Dere’s long time boyfriend and de facto Whitfield head of the household Joe and R/B singer Chris Brown as the youngest member of the family who has aspirations on a singing career – something that he realizes his mother will not approve of.

“This Christmas” isn”t going to win any year-end awards and it isn’t a life-altering experience, but it is a safe and comfortable holiday diversion.