A harmless, slightly charming and warm family drama.
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01/31/09
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Nothing Like the Holidays (2008)
51
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Reviews Counted:87
Fresh:44
Rotten:43
Average Rating:5.7/10
Consensus: The performances are the strength of Nothing Like the Holidays, a rather ordinary holiday comedy with a latin twist.
Theatrical Release:Dec 12, 2008 Wide
Box Office: $7,478,384
Synopsis: If theres one thing everyone can agree on, its that family time isnt always a walk in the park. In Nothing Like the Holidays, two of todays most talented actors, John Leguizamo (The Happening, The... [More]
Starring: Freddy Rodriguez, John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Elizabeth Peņa
Director: Alfredo de Villa
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Reviews for Nothing Like the Holidays
There are some standout performances from some young stars on the rise.
12/15/08
Set amongst a sociable Puerto Rican-American family in Chicago's Humboldt Park area, the film leans on a strong ensemble cast to easily trump its narrative familiarity.
12/05/08
After getting past the awful title, which evokes images of madcap Christmas mayhem, Nothing Like the Holidays proves a mildly efficient holiday stocking-stuffer, albeit one whose one truly distinctive characteristic is its predominantly Hispanic cast.
12/05/08
Top CriticThe umpteenth holiday-family-gathering film to hit theaters in the past few years, Nothing Like the Holidays distinguishes itself from the pack with fine acting.
12/12/08
If the conflicts feel warmed over and the resolutions obvious, the performances, particularly those of Rodriguez, Ferlito, Messing and Peņa, are so warm and winning that director Alfredo De Villa makes it a tasty entertainment.
12/11/08
Top CriticIt's as familiar and comforting as a cup of eggnog.
12/12/08
It's the modest goal of a modest little picture like this--to capture something heartfelt and real, finding anyone doing anything and meaning it, regardless of how patently false the situation seems.
12/11/08
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.
12/12/08
Despite a cliché-ridden story, this holiday family reunion manages to be the heartwarming, affecting piece it sets out to be.
12/11/08
A warm, unabashedly sentimental drama...
12/07/09
Sometimes its fun to unwrap a present even if you already know whats waiting inside.
12/12/08
It's a warm, friendly movie, and infinitely more human than, say, Four Christmases. It deserves credit for that.
12/13/08
Though the picture follows a well-worn path, it does so with a winning degree of warmth and humor.
12/10/08
Vividly conveys the happiness and the heartbreak of a Puerto Rican family gathered together to celebrate Christmas.
12/11/08
The roles are paper thin, which is too bad considering the talent of the cast. They have all been better. Molina and Leguizamo, in particular, deserve better material.
12/10/08
Have you seen it before? Well, yeah. Lots. But have you seen it quite like this? Doubtful.
12/12/08
The film has its soapish machinations and some cliched characterizations. However, it features a great cast of mostly Hispanic actors.
12/11/08
Same people, different dishes on the dinner table.
04/07/09
Simplistic and soapy, Nothing Like the Holidays nonetheless succeeds in warming the cockles.
12/11/08
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