Nothing Like the Holidays (2008)

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

I wanted to but couldn't!

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

I appreciated the 'Latino' flair, different for the holidays. The story line is touching and you'll know why at the end. This movie gave me a decent feel of what I might expect if I wanted to some day join a Puerto Rican family for the rest of my 'Gringo' life. I thought being with Puerto Rican lady would be kind of neat, so I watched the movie and now I understand more how it may be for me with that family. Debra Messing plays the 'Gringo', which would be me in this case as I join my future family in all its splendor and mysteries. I must say, I look forward to it...well, a girl can dream anyway!

Nothing Like the Holidays is an extremely safe Christmas movie. That's not to say that it's not good, because trust me, it is. It's a film likely to win a lot of hearts with its focus on the one thing that everybody can relate to when it comes to the holidays: their family. Nothing Like the Holidays could be considered an ethnic film. The cast is primarily made up of unknown Mexican actors (although the familiar faces of John Leguizamo and Luis Guzmán do give the film some credibility). A lot of the jokes may be catered towards a Mexican audience where the family rituals, relationships, and inside jokes may be more fully realized and understood. Regardless, I believe the film to be accessible to any audience willing to explore a Mexican take on the traditional Christmas movie. Nothing Like the Holidays starts like any typical Christmas film. All the different members of the family are coming home for the holidays. For the Rodriquez family though, things are a bit different. They've got Jesse coming in from his most recent stint in Iraq as a member of the United States Army, Mauricio, the oldest brother making a name for himself in New York City, and Roxanna the struggling L.A. actress who everyone in the family thinks is a millionaire movie star from her recent stint on a made for television movie.On top of the traditional family drama (ex girlfriends in town for the holiday, fights over when to have a baby, and the arguments over who will take over the family business) there's one other thing that seems to be tearing the Rodriquez family apart: the dinner table announcement that Ma and Pa will be getting a divorce...and P.S. it's non-negotiable. The reason I really liked this film is because it felt so real. The use of unknown actors helped me believe in the authenticity of what was happening on screen. The Rodriquez family is your typical Mexican family. The holiday is meant to be spent together, and the kids will do anything to keep the family tradition alive. The in-attic conversations on how to get mom and dad back together, the one-on-one advice sessions between a father and a son in the army, and the intense subplot of a family member too scared to tell the family that he's sick all lead to the realness of this film. It may not be the most cheery Christmas movie, but in real life, the holidays are often everything but, so it's nice to see an authentic portrayal of a real family and what they go through during the Christmas season.Nothing Like the Holidays isn't a well-known film, but I would recommend it as a solid entry into the overcrowded Christmas movie genre. It won't break ground, but it will win your heart, and what happens on screen is often funny, but always real, a characteristic that shouldn't be overlooked as you look for holiday films to rent this Christmas season.Michael Buffa, Editor, Popcorn Jury http://www.popcornjury.com

There is a DVD extra where most of the cast reminisce for a few minutes and they say it was one of the coldest winters in Chicago. Since the movie initially was released in November 2008, they must have been talking about the winter of 2007. I believe I was there, but I don't remember. Two of my daughters live there, and it was nice seeing a family drama filmed in Chicago.It is Christmas holidays and various family members from New York and Hollywood travel to Chicago to have Christmas with mom and dad who have been married for 36 years. Also coming home is the youngest son, a soldier, who was wounded in Iraq. There is a large banner "Welcome Home Jesse" over the family porch.But soon we see what might be described as family squabbles. Mom is disappointed that she has no grandchildren yet. Dad wants son to work with him and take over the family business, a popular store that sells food and alcoholic beverages. The youngest daughter is called a star by everyone but she has only gotten bit parts in Hollywood. Her old friend, a potential boyfriend, has a grudge against a former felon who had killed his brother and ponders how he can get just revenge.The movie has a good mix of drama and comedy, which mirrors real life when you get a group of adult children together as a family. Of course the best thing the movie has going for it are many of the best actors in the business and they make it feel real. You have to play loose with the real ages of the actors, the mom and dad are not much older than some of the "children." But it works.Good movie. Makes you care for the characters, and it makes you think.

Holiday movies usually put a smile on your face or tears in your eyes. I'm afraid that very little of this movie impressed me. It is worth your try to relate with it. The scattered members of the Rodriquez family make their way home to their parent's house in west Chicago. Not only to celebrate Christmas, but also to welcome the youngest brother home from the war. Like any other large family gathering for a holiday...old arguments resurface, plus new surprises stretch the bonds of the entire family. The trailer led me to believe I would double over laughing...I didn't. But that doesn't mean you won't have your heart warmed and end up with that 'fuzzy' feeling.Except for Debra Messing, there is a Latino all-star cast: John Leguizamo, Freddy Rodriguez, Alfred Molina, Luis Guzman, Jay Hernandez and one of my favorites, Elizabeth Pena.