It Runs in the Family

It Runs in the Family êê ( PG-13 )

Reviewed By Demetrius Payne

Michael Douglas-Alex Gromberg	Kirk Douglas-Mitchell Gromberg
Cameron Douglas-Asher Gromberg	Diana Douglas-Evelyn Gromberg
Bernadette Peters-Rebecca Gromberg	Rory Culkin-Eli Gromberg
Directed by-Fred Schepisi

30 Second Bottom Line: A few weeks back I wrote a review for "Dysfunktional Family" starring Eddie Griffin. In that film Griffin hilariously describes how his experiences with his porn obsessed uncle, his borderline racist, big hearted white grandfather, &

loving mother who tried to run him down with her car among others shaped his

life growing up in lower class Kansas City Mo. In my review I wrote that every family unit, no matter how tight, has some screws loose in it. "It Runs in the Family" proves that class & money make NO FAMILY exempt.

Story Line: The Douglas Family (Kirk, Diana, Michael & Cameron) star as a upscale New York family that on the surface has everything a family would want: a (real) nice place to live, 2 successful parents, an older son in college & the youngest boy in private school. That's on the surface. Dig deeper & you see the father is a work-a-holic, the oldest boy sells drugs, the youngest son is so weird you would SWEAR he was a middle child & the mother going through life trying to keep it all together. Then you have the

grandfather who is trying to keep the tough guy facade after a stroke & in defiance of his advancing age & a grandmother trying to keep a warm motherly face on despite going through kidney dialysis.

This movie doesn't concentrate on one specific traumatizing event, but a couple circumstances that any family can find themselves going through. First there was the almost, but not quite infidelity of the husband, then there was the oldest son finding out he had to repeat his senior year of college. There was the death of the grandmother. Then there was the youngest boy who falls for the weirdest girl in school, lest we forget the death of the senile great-uncle who the grandfather required they bury Viking-style in a tiny rowboat in the middle of a small lake. Did I say any family? Bottom line is all families have their trials and tribulations & as much as the Dr. Phil's & self-help gurus of the world would like to attach a quick fix solution to family problems, the truth is you have to dig in your heels, roll up your sleeves & put in work, time energy and attention to keep a family together.

Tell Me More About It: While I can truthfully say that I enjoyed this film, I would have to say that I did have a few problems with it. First off, I thought the character development was a bit thin. I was really hoping to know more than just the surface "21 year old white boy who talks slang, drinks & plays his music real loud". I would have liked to know more about the mom as well. I thought her role was almost an afterthought. Then the movie, at spots was plain old corny. There were a bit too many predictable lovey dovey, feel good moments in the movie. My personal experience with family issues is that after a certain age, resolution doesn't come by the way of hugs, but quiet understanding and moving on, particularly with a family of predominately men. But then again, that can just be my personal family issues coming into play. Probably my biggest complaint with this movie is all these Douglases & not ONE Zeta-Jones!?!?! Kirk Douglas still can deliver emotion, even if his speech is slurred by the stroke he suffered a few years back, not very surprising for someone who's been doing movies since the 40s. I was also impressed with Mrs. Douglas, I don't recall seeing her in a movie before, but she has an impressive resume as well. Michael Douglas is Michael Douglas, no surprises with his performance, but the youngest Douglas in the film, Cameron, did a fine job I thought-no shock there, check out his pedigree! This is a good film for an older audience, a good movie to take mom to for mother's day. A solid movie overall, more right with it than wrong.

Rated PG-13 for drug content, sexual material and language.

houseopayne1@hotmail.com

Mini Filmography

Michael Douglas-"Don't Say a Word" "One Night at McCool's" "Traffic"	Kirk Douglas-"Diamonds" "Greedy"
Cameron Douglas-"Mr. Nice Guy"	Diana Douglas-"Cold Heaven" "The Star Chamber"
Bernadette Peters-"Snow Days" "Anastasia" (voice)	Rory Culkin-"Signs" "Igby Goes Down" "Richie Rich"
Directed by-Fred Schepisi-"I.Q." "Six Degrees of Separation"