Review of The Family (2013) by Peter C — 17 Dec 2013

A cross between Meet The Parents, National Lampoon's European Vacation and a generic New York gangster film.

Mildly amusing in places, with some nifty set-pieces and clever editing, hampered by a scattergun script and an uneven tone. Is it a comedy? Is it a drama? Is it a shoot-em-up? It's all three, yet none at the same time.

From what I can gather, most mainstream critics have panned it. However, I think they've been unduly cruel. It's not terrible, it just misfires.

De Niro is in fine curmudgeonly form as the head of the family in question, doing his usual gurning and squinting - mostly to comedic effect. The delectable Michelle Pfeiffer is the personification of Jackie Frost as his world weary wife. And the two actors playing their cartoon character children rise to the challenge with gleeful relish.

Unfortunately, the tone and style lurches from one mood and genre to another so fast and so often that it takes the shine off much that is good about the film.

I won't spoil the ending, even though it's pretty much signposted from the beginning, but let's just say: methinks a sequel is a distinct possibility.

3 out of 5 (just).