A movie full of the male Douglas trademark; skinny, bony flat asses in baggy boxers. Oh that was exciting. First Alex Gromberg (Michael Douglas, Don't Say a Word) dropped his pants to reveal boxers that had to be three sizes too big and his ass was unattractive 10 years ago. Catharine Zeta Jones must be so turned on. Then son Asher Gromberg (Cameron Douglas) dropped his pants to reveal boxers not quite as big as pops, but baggy enough to showcase that Douglas flat ass. And seeing a boxer short clad Mitchell Gromberg (Kirk Douglas) emaciated was more awful than viewing a naked Kathy Bates. Well you must be asking what do all these butts have to do with this movie, well nothing, I just found it odd all the men flashed some bum and it was all freaky.

Alex is an attorney that snubbed partnership in his fathers law firm where his dad is now retired. He volunteers in a soup kitchen and took on a pro-bono case in the opening scene that will take on a large housing corporation in a tenant strike. His wife, Rebecca (Bernadette Peters) is a therapist and she doesn't cook. Can you imagine, a Jewish mother that can't cook, what blasphemy. Then we have the matriarch of the family, Alex's mom, Evelyn Gromberg (Diana Douglas) who is currently going through dialysis, and she is the glue that holds this family together. Son Asher, is a failing college student and a drug dealer, but otherwise a good guy. The other son Eli (Rory Culkin, Signs) a sixth grader that is in love with the pierced runaway classmate Abby (Irene Gorovaia, The Royal Tenenbaums) and is into yoga, martial arts and computers. All the members of this family are making their way to the Passover dinner. Cameron failed to pick up Grandma at dialysis, so she takes a cab. Grandpa swings by the nursing home to get his war hero brother who lost his legs in WWII and his mind to old age. Mom heads home with the usual, take out brisket and matza for the family dinner, Eli deals with the class bullies on the way home. Then we have Alex, while serving dinner to the homeless, he attempts a quickie in the kitchen with another married worker before heading home to his wife and family. Mitchell was a driven attorney that ignored his family and no matter what Alex did, it was not good enough for dad. Alex has a beautiful, loving wife, yet risked it all for a scanky chick, so what he has is not good enough either. Alex has two sons, one, Asher, a complete screw up that they don't put too much pressure on. The other, Eli, whom they don't know what to think about his behavior, yet despite their concern, do nothing to learn anything about the kid. So basically these kids are ignored too. A death in the family brings everyone together to deal with their loss, their past and what to do about their futures if this family is going to survive.

Basically this is another movie with yelling, fighting and making up; a typical family situation. But like your regular Hollywood film, it all works out in the end. Not like real families and most don't have as much money at this one does either. Others in this Fred Schepisi film were Geoffrey Arend, Antonio D. Charity, Sarita Choudhury, Marc Damon Johnson, and Keith Nobbs. The tension between Michael and Kirk you couldn't really feel, now the tension between Michael and Cameron, that was a little more real. Rory was completely convincing as a pre-teen but hey, he is. Overall there was not much to this story and no real purpose to make this film other than to put many Douglases together on screen. Joel Douglas was a producer, just to add another Douglas to the credits. Nothing overly dramatic, nothing new to add to a plot and nothing special to this film. I didn't hate it and I have seen worse, but I didn't care much for it either so I will sit on the fence and give It Runs in the Family, a four on the About-Movies.com scale.

Last updated: Thursday, March 20, 2008 02:46:31 AM

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