Review of Nothing Like the Holidays (2008) by Kyle C — 22 Dec 2008

A small collection of Christmas films seem to come out every year at the appropriate time, and at least 4 out of 5 of them are absolutely god-awful. I must say, I was extremely impressed and pleasantly surprised to see a Christmas film that is actually successful and actually seems like something worth watching again next Christmas.

The mostly Puerto Rican cast of recognizable faces are simply superb. This is a film where the term "ensemble" applies best. Each actor works off each other in such a natural flowing way that the audience is completely convinced that we are watching a real family.

Everyone is so real in their roles, and they aren't hampered by lame dialogue or plot points. It all fits. Okay, Debra Messing didn't fit quite as well as everyone else, but that's one bad egg in an otherwise perfect dozen.

I don't mean to pick on the one white person in the cast, but that's just how it went. The film doesn't break any new ground, but it takes a formulaic story of a family home for the holidays and really makes the most out of it.

It doesn't get manipulative, it doesn't get fake, it doesn't get cheesy, and it doesn't go over the top. It's just real and entertaining, and I was more than happy to eavesdrop on their Christmas celebration.

There is one story that doesn't get enough development, and that's a gang rivalry, but I can see why they wouldn't have wanted to dwell on that plot point too much because it does seem to be from a different movie.

That aside, I really enjoyed this film and it was a welcome break from the failing Oscar movie season.