Nothing Like the Holidays
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Nothing Like the Holidays |
| Original title | Nothing Like the Holidays |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 2008 |
| length | 98 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 6 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Alfredo De Villa |
| script |
Alison Swan , Rick Najera |
| production |
Robert Teitel , George Tillman Jr. |
| music | Paul Oakenfold |
| camera | Scott Kevan |
| cut |
John Coniglio , Amy E. Duddleston |
| occupation | |
| |
Nothing Like the Holidays is an American romantic Christmas comedy by Alfredo De Villa from the year 2008 . The leading roles are cast with Luis Guzmán , John Leguizamo , Debra Messing , Alfred Molina , Freddy Rodriguez and Melonie Diaz .
action
The Rodriguez family, originally from Puerto Rico , live near Humboldt Park in western Chicago, where Eduardo runs a shop and a small bodega . When Christmas is just around the corner, Eduardo, Edy for short, and Anna are expecting their children and their partners for the holidays for the first time in years. The atmosphere is tense as Edy and Anna keep secrets from each other. Edy receives many mysterious calls, which Anna suggests that Edy is having an affair. She has decided to draw her own conclusions from her husband's behavior.
The still injured youngest son Jesse arrives from Iran ; a traumatic experience made him no longer who he used to be. He also suffers from having to leave his girlfriend Marissa behind, who is now otherwise bound. The eldest son Mauricio, a successful lawyer, travels from New York with his Jewish wife Sarah, a hedge fund manager, knowing that there will be many questions again why there are still no offspring on the way. And then there's Roxanna trying to get a foothold in Hollywood . So far it has only been enough for insignificant roles. She is drawn to Ozzy, a friend of her brother Jesse, who is desperately trying to get over his brother's violent death. Johnny, a close friend of the family and always eager to create a good atmosphere, shouldn't be missing either.
During various meals and conversations, it turns out that this could be the last Christmas together in the usual context, because surprisingly for the children, their mother reveals to them that she intends to get a divorce without their father objecting to it. It is only a few days later that the family becomes aware that Edy is seriously ill with cancer, but wanted to keep it a secret from his family so as not to spoil their party. The numerous calls that Edy always pulled back on were from Susan Lee, his oncologist . Anna accuses herself of being stupid, but also confronts her husband with the accusation that he did not tell her about his illness earlier.
Everyone involved tries to deal with the new situation in their own way, so Sarah draws the conclusion that she would like to have a child after all and finds support from Mauricio. Roxanna decides to stop pursuing a career as an actress that will probably never materialize and to stay with her family. Jesse accepts that Marissa is in a happy relationship with Fernando and also decides to fulfill his father's greatest wish and take over the small family business instead of returning to Iraq.
production
Production notes
It is a production by 2DS Productions, Overture Films and State Street Pictures. The film was shot in Chicago , Illinois .
Soundtrack
The original soundtrack of the film has been released on CD.
- La Bomba by KC Porter , Luis Gómez Escolar and Draco Rosa, lecture: Ricky Martin
- Ding Dong by Francisco Jimenez and Mikhail Davies, Lecture: Paco
- Johnny's Jingle - Johnny's Home Media Emporium by Johnny 'Koolout' Starks and Earl Powell, lecture: also Starks
- El Molestoso II by Eddie Palmieri , also lecture
- A Happy Holiday ver. 1 by Alan Ett and Scott Liggett
- Todo Vale by Fabian Andres Alicastro, also lecture
- To Let Go by Twee Lam, Robin Reeves and George Renwick, Lecture: Twee Lam
- Jingle Bell Swing by Ib Glindemann
- A La Cañona by Rafael Cepeda, lecture: Marvin Santiago
- I Wanna Sex You Up by Elliott Straite, Willie Clarke, Betty Wright , Sam Watters, Mark Calderon, Bryan Abrams and Kevin Thornton, Lecture: Color Me Badd
- 1, 2, 3, 4 by Kevin W. Farquhar, Caurice Titus, Demetrius Henry, Chanell Jones and Leonard Rencher, lecture: DA DAME & C-Stunna featuring Bridget Sarai
- Alma Con Alma by Rafael Hernández, lecture: Orlando Vallejo and the Riverside Orchestra
- Certified Crazy by Neil Brown and Graeme Gaughan, Lecture: Twee Lam & The Reluctants
- Latin Lover by Paul Oakenfold , Ian Green and Anthony Crawford, lecture: Spitfire, vocals: Anthony Crawford
- The Show by Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick , Talk: Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew
- Parranda Christmas Medley , arrangement Michael J. McEvoy, produced by Paul Oakenfold,
- La Cubanita by Ramon Campos, Antoine Contreras, Ronny Gold, Jean Motos & Antoine Santiago, lecture: Los Ninos de Sara
- Temporal by Rafael Hernández
- La Medicina Cubana by Eugenio Navarro, lecture: Celia Cruz
- Angels We Have Heard on High , traditional way by James Chadwick, Lecture: Mary Leay
- Mi Familia by Fabio BOI Angelini and Delwin Gutierrez
- Songozon by Enzo Villaparedes, lecture: Martin Padilla
- A Happy Holiday by Alan Paul Ett and Scott Liggett, sung by Lori Lynner
reception
Publication, success
On November 11, 2008 the film was released under the title Ta kelepouria in Greece, and on December 12, 2008 in the USA (the working title there was Humboldt Park ). It was published in Singapore on December 25, 2008.
In Germany, the film premiered on DVD under the English original title on October 15, 2009, and on November 26 the HMH Hamburg Media House released it as a Blu-ray with a German soundtrack.
It was released on DVD in the Netherlands on November 17, 2009 and in Sweden on December 16, 2009. The film was also released in Bulgaria, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine.
The film grossed US $ 3,531,664 on the opening weekend in the US; on January 25, 2009, the total for the US as a whole was US $ 7,502,429 and US $ 7,519,490 worldwide.
criticism
At Rotten Tomatoes , the film received a rating of 5.7 (maximum 10) and an approval rating of 52 percent from 95 critical reviews, while audience approval was just over 32,000 ratings at 41 percent.
The Lexicon of International Films certified the film: “A successful tragicomedy about a family whose members have to readjust their lives and their relationships with one another. The pursuit of Christmas peace comes across as pleasantly down-to-earth. "
James Berardinelli's criticism for ReelViews was mixed. He wrote that the film was made with too much heart and skill to be really bad, but again too familiar to be really good. These types of films are like fruit cakes, which were ubiquitous at the time, but are rarely received or even devoured with great enthusiasm. Nothing Like the Holidays is made for those who would like a film to be neatly cut and easy to digest. The characters in the film are sketched rather than profound. Freddy Rodriguez performs best as Jesse, because his character is tragic and you can feel his pain. John Leguizamo is surprising in that he shows atypical restraint.
Film critic Roger Ebert praised that the cast would breathe real life into the characters, starting with Elisabeth Pena and Alfred Molina. Leguizamo is more thoughtful than one is used to with him. The actors are good at playing as if they had really known each other very well for a long time, which also includes interruptions, which is not easy and requires more skill than heavy drama. Ebert praised the special features of the dialogue and, above all, the acting responsibility, which makes the film funny, sad, kitschy, romantic and, if necessary, heartfelt. One of the most touching scenes is between Anna and Sarah.
Kirk Honeycutt from The Hollywood Reporter said, set between a telenovela and a big vacation show, Nothing Like the Holidays transforms , a funky family melodrama, all with a distinct Laatin flair. The film is aimed at an ethnic audience, but is so broad that everyone can participate in the celebrations. The atmosphere is relaxed and the actors are relaxed, even if everyone is writing around the family table.
In The NYC Movie Guru says: to lend Despite a great ensemble that provide outstanding services to the film charm, a lot of things feel of what happen in the film, invented, crowded and mostly boring to, especially if the Dining table with each other. The script offers no real surprises or scenes that get under your skin, even when Edy is diagnosed with cancer. It is the oldest cliché in family dramas to invent a character who ends up with a serious illness. All in all, the film deals with an irritating family drama that is currently set around Christmas time. At least the film is a harmless, almost charming and warm family drama.
Kino.de spoke of a "well-acted and in parts also quite comical family drama based on a tried and tested holiday get-together model". The focus of the plot is a “smart mom”, around whom “the more or less exciting episodes of a widely ramified clan of different (cliché) types” entwine. The film does not offer "any special news or insights, instead some familiar faces and family entertainment with heart, brain and attitude in line with the intended target group".
Awards
- Award for John Leguizamo in the category "Acting Achievement"
- Nomination for Freddy Rodríguez and Elizabeth Peña in the same category
- Nomination in the category "Best Feature Film"
- Nomination for Debra Messing in the category "Best Actress in a Comedy"
Web links
- Nothing Like the Holidays in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ Certificate of Release for Nothing Like the Holidays . Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry , October 2009 (PDF; test number: 120 161 V).
- ↑ Original soundtrack "Nothing Like The Holidays" sS allmusic.com (English)
- ↑ Nothing Like the Holidays Fig. Blu-rayDisc
- ↑ Nothing Like the Holidays sS the-numbers.com (English)
- ↑ Nothing Like the Holidays sS rottentomatoes.com (English). Retrieved August 12, 2018.
- ^ Nothing Like the Holidays. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed August 12, 2018 .
- ↑ James Berardinelli : Nothing Like the Holidays sS reelviews.net (English). Retrieved August 12, 2018.
- ^ Roger Ebert : Nothing Like the Holidays sS rogerebert.com (English). Retrieved August 12, 2018.
- ↑ Kirk Honeycutt: Film Review: "Noting Like the Holidays" In: The Hollywood Reporter, April 12, 2008 (English). Retrieved August 12, 2018.
- ↑ Reviews for December 12th, 2008 "Nothing Like the Holidays" sS nycmovieguru.com (English). Retrieved August 12, 2018.
- ↑ Nothing Like the Holidays sS kino.de. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
