Review of Nothing Like the Holidays (2008) by Alex C — 28 Oct 2009

Holiday and ethnic stereotypes run amuck in another lame Christmas film. I personally am not a fan of the holiday and it amazes me when folks ask "where's your Christmas cheer?" Well, by looking at recent films focused on the holiday, there's little cheer on the silver screen! (The deadly line up "Four Christmases", "How The Grinch Stole Christmas", "Fred Clause" and so on) This film is better than those, but not an exception - dark themes as adultery, gang retaliation, dad harboring a medical secret, career over family, unrequited love, etc.

are abound. The film does provide one joyous moment of Christmas caroling through the streets of Humboldt Park in Chicago - I wish there was more of that. The heavy-handed drama just did not work. Another ethnic holiday film, 2007's "This Christmas" fell victim to the same plot problem.

The cast is fine (especially Alfred Molina, the beautiful Elizabeth Pena and Jay Hernandez), the script is full of high drama and quick resolution. The poster and trailer makes this film look light-hearted fun - another example of marketing mis-fire - the movie did not connect at the box office either earning just $7.

5 million last November and was gone from theaters before Christmas 2008.