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Freddy Rodriguez, John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Alfred Molina, Jay Hernandez ... see more see more... , Melonie Diaz , Vanessa Ferlito , Luis Guzman , Elizabeth Peña

Freddy Rodriguez, John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Alfred Molina, and Elizabeth Peña star in Washington Heights director Alfredo de Villa's earnest family drama about the importance of familial relation... read more read more...ships in times of personal crisis. The snow is falling and Christmas has come to Chicago. For the Rodriguez family, there is particular cause to celebrate this year; youngest sibling Jesse (Rodriguez) has recently returned home safe and sound after fighting in the war overseas. But as the members of the Rodriguez family converge on their parent's home, there's a strange sense of tension lingering heavy in the cool winter air. Despite the fact that Jesse is doing his best to get back in the good graces of his old flame, she seems reluctant to forgive him for leaving in the first place. Meanwhile, his older sister, Roxanna, has little to show for time spent chasing her Hollywood dreams, and eldest brother Mauricio (Leguizamo) is married to a high-strung executive who seems more interested in advancing her career than starting a family. But while none of this sits too well with concerned mother Anna (Peña), the bombshell she's about to drop could prove the straw that broke this family's back. When Anna announces to her children that she is planning to divorce their father, Eduardo (Molina), Roxanna, Jesse, and Mauricio instinctively pull together and begin to reevaluate their past while looking at the future in a whole new light. Later, as lingering resentments are let go and weakened bonds are reaffirmed, the Rodriquez family begins to experience the healing power of laughter while discovering that together as a family they are far stronger than they ever could be apart. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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40% liked it

31,832 ratings

Critics

52% liked it

95 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 39 min.

Directed by: Alfredo De Villa

Release Date: November 8, 2008

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DVD Release Date: October 27, 2009

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Flixster Reviews (1,023)

  • fb100000145236770
    October 3, 2010
    fb100000145236770
    nothing like a Latino Christmas movie in October:-) I've seen better, but I've seen a LOT worse("Surviving Christmas" anyone?)
  • bbcfloridabound
    December 4, 2009
    bbcfloridabound
    A refreshing Christmas movie, without the trash that has recently been found in the newer Christmas movies. Luis Guzman has an outstanding performance in this movie. Shows the true feelings of a solider coming home and dealing with his emotions. What we have here is a Puerto Rica... read moren family celebrating a Christmas together. This one is worth getting and sitting back with open mind to enjoy. 4 1/2 stars from me. Merry Christmas
  • ryguy4738
    December 29, 2011
    ryguy4738
    *** out of ****

    If one can get past the countless remakes, modernized adaptations, and clichéd love stories that tend to identify with most Christmas fare in the service of film; a film such as "Nothing Like the Holidays" might just come off as, oh I don't know, refreshing. It... read more's a good old fashion family comedy; taking place during the holidays and dealing with a very big family. And while this is, in theory, an ordinary family - how many recent Christmas films are composed of an almost all Latino cast?

    As one can predict, I'm about to dedicate an entire paragraph to naming the different members of the family; both by blood and extended. It mostly consists of parents, their kids (all of whom have grown up), and some long-time family friends. The parents are Edy (Alfred Molina) and Anna Rodriguez (Elizabeth Pena); the kids are Jesse (Freddy Rodriguez), actress Roxanne (Vanessa Ferlito), and Mauricio (John Leguizamo); the friends include Mauricio's wife Sarah (Debra Messing), thug-type Ozzy (Jay Hernandez), Jesse's ex-girlfriend Marissa(Melonie Diaz), and flamboyant joker Johnny (Luis Guzman).

    Jesse has just returned home from Iraq; and his family embraces him with open arms. Everyone is at home for the holidays; and it appears to have been a while since this has last happened. Once everyone has arrived, the great big family settles down for a nice dinner; which ends on a not-so-nice note. There are tensions and personal demons brought to the table amongst the good food; which will get in the way of the family's happiness throughout the story.

    There's a secret that father Edy feels he must keep, the possibility of a divorce for him and Anna, and some flawed relationships between other characters as well. But as you can probably tell, this is a Christmas comedy of warmth and heart; thus, everything will turn out for the best in the end. We know this - when walking in, at least - and if we're smart enough, we won't hold it against the film that it's as predictable as it is. Christmas movies almost always have to follow some sort of formula - especially when they're in the mainstream - nowadays, and "Nothing Like the Holidays" is one of the best holiday comedies I've seen in a long time. It may be sappy, but not in an annoying or preachy way. It's heartfelt, funny, and honest.

    For starters, the screenplay is smart; and it works, in part, because of the casting, which simply couldn't be any better. The actors get to be themselves in each individual role; and we sense that they are having fun with it all the way through. But then again, there are a few moments in the film meant to elicit some kind of emotion - perhaps one that is even, say, strong - so these performers are required to break free from the joy and develop into something more and something deeper, if only for a few moments. They are more than capable of doing so.

    The film is set in Chicago; a good choice of location for the story, I think. It gives the characters a lot to do, and some places to go, especially when certain ones (in particular) need some private time with a selected other. There's a wonderful scene where Roxanne and Ozzy go for a stroll at a local ice-rink; the conversation is heartfelt, the location is a perfect fit, and the atmosphere is warm enough to drown out the cold. There is indeed a surplus of other wonderful scenes to top it off in this movie; although it wouldn't do me much good to describe all - or any more - of them. I might lose some credibility.

    Think about why you go to Christmas movies in the first place. Do you go to simply watch the movie and bitch about it afterwards? Do you hate the predictability, the melodrama, and (gasp) even the warmth of the moment? If you're that sort of Grinch, then you won't find anything to like from this film; because it picks a narrative style and that is one of tradition. Sure, the film has its flaws - there are a lot of characters and therefore a lot of stories; some of them are better explored and fleshed-out than others - but that didn't stop me from accepting the fact that "Nothing Like the Holidays" is simply nothing like most of the other Christmas movies of recent. And if that, a great cast, smart dialogue, and a lot of heart aren't enough to truly satisfy you; then you've got a nigh incurable case of killjoy.
  • jeffboam
    August 18, 2010
    jeffboam
    Every holiday season brings a selection of flicks calculated to give moviegoers a saccharine sweet viewing experience. More often than not, however, these forgettable lackluster efforts often seem earmarked for the discount bin of the local video store from the get-go. Try as it ... read moremight, the well-intentioned Nothing Like the Holidays cannot fight this fickle finger of fatalism. The casting rings perfectly but the story panders to so many clichés and stock characters that the audience will be feeling like they are experiencing holiday déjà vu all over again. Moviegoers will laugh, they will cry, and they just might sleep too.

    In this PG-13-rated dramedy, secrets are revealed and bonds put to the test when the far-flung Rodriguez family (Leguizamo, Rodriguez, et al) reunites in Chicago at Christmastime.

    The cast?s game players certainly invest a lot of verve into the film, which boosts its likeability tenfold. The ensemble-composed of John Leguizamo, Freddy Rodriguez, Jay Hernandez, Alfred Molina, Elizabeth Pena, Melonie Diaz, Luis Guzman, Vanessa Ferlito, and Debra Messing-give the project their all. This bullishness, however, does not stop the fact that John Q. Moviegoer has eaten this sort of fruitcake before?and countless times to boot. Personalities clash, revelations are made, love rears its head, and pratfalls ensue. The Hispanic infusion lends the material uniqueness, but the movie ultimately falters by shouldering each character (and filmgoer) with an axe to grind. The storyline involving Hernandez?s gun-toting vendetta will surely set eyes a-rolling. Still, if good intentions were gradable, the movie would get high marks.

    Bottom line: Nothing doing.
  • Nutterjr
    February 8, 2010
    Nutterjr
    A family drama, which has it's share of laughs and tear-jerking moments. Acting is good all around, even if I was watching it off season, I enjoyed it.
  • Yinali
    December 21, 2008
    Yinali
    So-so. Being so that I'm puertorican.
  • RemiLogan
    August 11, 2010
    RemiLogan
    It honestly felt like a [INSERT RACIAL/CULTURAL MINORITY HERE] family comedy/drama about the awkwardness of coming home to spend Christmas with the family. You could insert any race or culture you want and it wouldn't have felt new or refreshing. You have the psychologically-scre... read morewed-up son coming home from war in Iraq (Freddie Rodriguez), the actress daughter who embellishes her success (Vanessa Ferlito), and of course the other son who is married to a woman of a different race/culture/religion and has no kids (John Leguizamo and Debra Messing). Then of course, there's the tension between the matriarch and patriarch. I was hoping this movie was going to be so much more than it was, but it felt kinda flaccid. I even thought Luis Guzman, who I love, would liven things up with random wisecracks, but they fell flat too. Everything about it was predictable, it brought nothing new to the table, which makes it all the more disappointing when you have hilarious comedians like Guzman and Leguizamo starring. Skip this one.
  • ileo
    August 8, 2010
    ileo
    Great holiday movie that centralizes around a close-knit family celebrating Christmas together. The Rodriguez family welcome the return of family member Jesse from his last tour, and the return of Roxanna (who has not returned in years). Mauricio and Sarah both being bombarded ab... read moreout questions of whether children will arrive quickly or not. Filled with lots of drama, laughter, and an everlasting strong bond of familial ties.
    Great cast- Freddy Rodriguez, Alfred Molina, Elizabeth Peña, John Leguizamo, Jay Hernandez, Debra Messing, Vanessa Ferlito, Luiz Guzman, and Melonie Diaz. Worth seeing!
  • irisheyes686
    December 9, 2009
    irisheyes686
    I really liked this movie! I was pleasantly surprised. Good cast, and the family relationships felt real to me. Very cute!
  • trisarahtops22
    November 29, 2009
    trisarahtops22
    It was okay to watch once, but I don't think I'd watch it again. There were a lot of talented people in the cast, but it was more like a lifetime movie - something entertaining to watch in passing.

View All Nothing Like the Holidays Reviews

Critic Reviews

Ben Lyons
December 15, 2008
Ben Lyons, At the Movies

There are some standout performances from some young stars on the rise. Full Review

Ben Mankiewicz
December 15, 2008
Ben Mankiewicz, At the Movies

Harmless, predictable, contrived -- if those are the best things you can say about a movie I think you should definitely skip it. Full Review

Ruthe Stein
December 12, 2008
Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle

With help from a lively cast and a twist on the formula, it seems fresh and enticing -- like a Christmas present you didn't know you wanted but are delighted to receive. Full Review

Linda Barnard
December 12, 2008
Linda Barnard, Toronto Star

While there may well be nothing like the holidays, there's a lot that is dully familiar about the movie of the same name. Full Review

Claudia Puig
December 12, 2008
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Though the turf is well-traveled, the characters' camaraderie and their palpable sense of ethnic pride trumps the predictability and makes for a tale that is pleasantly appealing. Full Review

Mike Mayo
December 12, 2008
Mike Mayo, Washington Post

The ensemble cast boasts some of the finest actors in the business. They do their best to breathe life into the stereotypes, but they simply don't have enough to work with. Full Review

Stephen Whitty
December 12, 2008
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

The whole thing's a little like the meals it spotlights. You know, while you're guiltily indulging, that it's no good for you. But that doesn't keep you from feeling full afterward. Full Review

Kyle Smith
December 12, 2008
Kyle Smith, New York Post

'God is punishing me,' says the matriarch. Not just you. Full Review

Elizabeth Weitzman
December 12, 2008
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News

Sometimes it's fun to unwrap a present even if you already know what's waiting inside. Full Review

Christy DeSmith
December 12, 2008
Christy DeSmith, Minneapolis Star Tribune

The Rodriguezes are dealing with divorce, a war injury, cancer and even Christmas, but these setbacks are all played for jokes. Full Review

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