Entertainment :: Movies
Nothing Like The Holidaysby Kilian MelloyWednesday Nov 4, 2009 The slight, but charming, holiday family comedy Nothing Like the Holidays is out on DVD--just in time for the festive season.
The holiday season is the time for families to reunite, and this Puerto Rican-American clan converges on Chicago from all over; laughter, arguments, food, and secrets swirl in this movie, which sees Jesse, a returning Iraq veteran (Freddy Rodríguez), at a loss in civilian life. Father Eduardo (Alfred Molina) has a plan for Jesse to take over the family business, while mother Anna (Elizabeth Peña) fears that Eduardo seeing another woman.
Strife crackles between eldest son Mauricio (John Leguizamo) and his Caucasian wife Sarah (Debra Messing); free-spirited daughter Roxanna (Vanessa Ferlito) takes some time to reassess her sputtering acting career. Gadfly Uncle Johnny buzzes around throughout, with Luis Guzmán offering an uproarious performance. a subplot involves a family friend, Ozzy (Jay Hernandez), plotting revenge against a local gang member for the shooting death of his brother years before.
The city of Chicago plays a large part in the movie: it’s a winter wonderland of frozen lakes, snow, holiday lights, and a stubborn old tree in the family’s front yard that symbolizes the sometimes homely, but ever-reliable strength of family.
The entertainment value here lies in the movie; the special features are nothing so very special. A cast reunion lacks Molina and Leguizamo, while a gag reel lacks spirit and fails to make up for it with loudness; Leguizamo clowns a lot, as does Guzmán. There are also theatrical trailers and audio commentary with director Alfredo De Villa, Freddy Rodríguez, and Robert Teitel.
Special Features include:
- Audio Commentary
- Theatrical trailers
- Cast Reunion
- Gag reel
Kilian Melloy reviews media, conducts interviews, and writes commentary for EDGEBoston, where he also serves as Assistant Arts Editor.
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