It Runs in the Family (2003)

Simply Perfect

Just perfect...

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Maybe it was a mistake to cast all those Douglases in this film, as it predisposes one to view it in terms of its parallels or lack of them with the actual actors' lives. (I guess Rory Culkin was made an honorary Douglas for the occasion -- but then again his own family history more than qualifies him.) If we can leave that peculiarity out for a moment, however, I think we have here a reasonably veridical, if painful, portrayal of a very assimilated New York Jewish family that has lost its way. Or rather, the second generation lost its way, and the third generation never even had a way to lose. It's no accident that the celebration of Passover is one focal point of the movie: it is this holiday that originally bestowed the Hebrews' fundamental identity, against which the infamous Blood Libels were directed, and which has retained the last vestige of "meaning" in the lives of Jews who have abandoned almost everything else. The message of Passover is not only the historical one of emancipation from physical slavery; it is the freedom from enslavement to one's inner demons that comes with dedication to a demanding set of ethics and practices, whether in business or in personal life. That is what the Grombergs have lost, and maybe the Douglases too. The title, "It Runs In the Family" is, I believe, an indictment: it is what has CEASED to run in the family that is bringing this one down.

I think the only person who's not a member of the Douglas clan in 'It Runs In The Family' is director Fred Schepisi. Okay, I exaggerate, but there are 3 generations PLAYING 3 generations (Kirk, Michael, and Cameron) and Kirk's ex-wife even plays his doting wife in the film. This is the first time that Kirk & Michael have worked together since the son's bit part in dad's '66 war drama 'Cast A Giant Shadow'. Young Cameron makes his film debut here and doesn't embarrass himself while acting with his world-famous elders. Bernadette Peters and Rory Culkin round out the headlining cast as the mother and youngest son of the Gromberg family.This picture received plenty of publicity in spring '03 because it was a rare on-screen appearance by movie god Kirk Douglas. He doesn't stray too far from his own reality as a stroke victim with a loving wife and a successful son. In the movie, the Grombergs are New York lawyers. It must have been an act of will not to make them movie producers or something filmic. The drama is actually mostly melodrama, some of which doesn't work. Mitchell (Kirk) has a complicated relationship with Alex (Michael), who has difficult relations with his own sons. Every character goes through romantic troubles of one kind or another (death of a beloved, first love, infidelity) and the movie deserves credit for managing to be cute, but not cloying. It even ends on the right note of non-finality, which I assume was a contribution by Schepisi (who's good at leaving some realistic loose ends in his films).Kirk probably comes off best here. He does a thing with pillows that just might bust your heart in two. Michael isn't stretching himself (although you can read the reverence for his dad in his eyes) and while Bernadette Peters & Rory Culkin do a nice job, they're merely providing low-key support to the Douglas gang. Kirk's still got it, even if he has to work extra hard to form sentences. The ferocity of 'The Bad And The Beautiful' isn't there anymore (hey, the guy is 88 this year, so the fact that he's working at all is amazing), but Kirk shows some funny facial expressions and double-takes. He's never anything less than compelling, which is the way it's always been in his career.'It Runs In The Family' was in & out of theatres in about 19 minutes last year, which is a shame. While I'm being generous to recommend it, I confess that I enjoyed myself and really grew to like what was going on in this flick. The humour is scatter-shot, but I like that they didn't camp it up and go for cheap gags. Perhaps Michael, Kirk & company have never had a strained relationship the way the Gromberg's do, but they play the pathos in Jesse Wigutow's script well enough to make you care. Am I being so nice because it's such a treat to see a feisty Kirk Douglas working again? Maybe, but I felt good about these characters, warts and all. Perhaps the Douglas' will do something else together and get Catherine Zeta-Jones to join in the fun.

"It Runs in the Family" is a boring comedy. There is some element of a tribute to the great acting career of Kirk Douglas, who plays an elderly father of Michael Douglas. His stroke producing hemiparesis and dysphasia is amply displayed by this veteran. One can enjoy some few sentimental moments, but it is not worth the rental. The Douglas family probably received some handsome remuneration for this film. They probably also are enjoying the fact that nearly their entire family is featured in this fiasco. One should avoid this film if possible. If not, be prepared to take a brief snooze. Don't waste your money on this boring tribute to a great actor.

This was a watchable but highly forgettable film. It bounces around from character to character, with material that is more like character development than a true story. I kept waiting for something to happen, some plot to develop, but it never really did. It was just like a comedic soap opera.Not that this break from traditional style is all together bad, it's just not that good. I gave it an average 6 stars(mostly for the star power.