Nothing Like the Holidays Review

by Michael Dequina (themoviereport AT gmail DOT com)
December 21st, 2008
_Nothing_Like_the_Holidays_ (PG-13) *** (out of ****)

    As suggested by the rather
generic-sounding title,
_Nothing_Like_the_Holidays_ does go where many holiday-centered family dramedies have gone
before: bickering-yet-loving relations reunite at
the old homestead for an eventful holiday season
where various dramas arise and are then healed by
the bonds of family. As derided as the genre
often is (sometimes deservedly so), the better
examples of these films transcend the built-in
formula by offering a rare opportunity to see a
large, varied assortment of gifted actors play
off of each other--and the spirited, superb
ensemble assembled by director Alfredo DeVilla is
definitely what lends the familiar proceedings
pep and personality. As the Rodriguez clan (and
various friends and neighbors) of Chicago's
Humboldt Park area, Alfred Molina, Elizabeth
Peña, John Leguizamo, Freddy Rodriguez, Vanessa
Ferlito, Luis Guzman, Jay Hernandez, Melonie
Diaz, and Debra Messing not only handle both the
barbed comic cross-talk and the more earnest
emotional moments with ease, more importantly
they all share such a believable familial, tough
love warmth with each other, making each shared
laugh or heated argument ring all the more true.

    The work of the cast alone would have
been enough to distinguish the film, but DeVilla
and writers Alison Swan and Rick Najara aim a bit
higher while hitting the expected beats. Tropes
such as the returning war veteran (Rodriguez)
reuniting with the love (Diaz) he left behind and
the spectre of illness belie their potential for
shamelessly melodramatic manipulation by being
handled in a realistic and understated manner,
further bolstered by the honesty of the
performances. One cannot exactly call this film groundbreaking, but as comfort food holiday
programmers go, it hits the spot, and anyone of
any ethnicity is sure to find something that hits
all too close to home in this story.

(c)2008 Michael Dequina

Michael Dequina
[email protected]
The Movie Report/Mr. Brown's Movie Site: www.themoviereport.com www.quickstopentertainment.com | www.cinemareview.com | www.aalbc.com www.johnsingletonfilms.com | on ICQ: #25289934 | on AOL/Y! IM: mrbrown23

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