Cortechba Overrated

Actuakers One of my all time favorites.

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Rich Wright SPOILERS So, this film was partly financed by 'American Express'? How does THAT work out? Anyway, the main gist here is a VERY large family of Irish American siblings getting together for the festive period. Most have very complicated personal lives, as well as big relationship problems. Their parents have been separated for years... After their father ran off decades ago because he suddenly became a millionaire.Now, he has terminal pancreatic cancer... And wants one last special day with his loved ones. His former wife is totally against it... And who can blame her? Their grown-up children have varying opinions... Some desperately want to see him again regardless of past sins... Others have no interest in renewing their acquaintance of such a thoughtless man, whatever the circumstances.The question of will-they or won't-they spend the festive period as one takes place amongst a backdrop of chaos and angst. Over the course of 100 minutes, ties will be mended, started or shattered forever. There is a slight soap-operaish air seeing all these travails unfold, and the film successfully involves us in the drama. With a couple of exceptions, the performances are all on point, capturing the mood of a loving, but feuding family during a very stressful time of the year.Of course, it all ends with a slow motion pan over a necessarily large table... With everyone together, smiling and laughing while nodding at each other, subtly forgiving of past sins. You can always rely on the Yanks to bring out the schmaltz eventually... 6/10

mrs-farrar22 This story had great potential, but was butchered in the way in which it was told. A father coming home for Christmas could make a great, feel-good movie, but it should be the story of the family's amazing reunion, not the story about a family's fight about whether or not he should be allowed at Christmas dinner. Maybe choose ONE character or couple to follow more closely instead of splitting it up into 7 different mini-stories, each which should have its own movie all its own. You have the central character(s) and supporting roles. This was just CHAOS; most of the kids had their own separate story lines, and none of them had complete, satisfying closure. What happened with Connie and the baby? Where's the justice for her husband? What about Gerry and Nora? Did they make it to their happily ever after? In the beginning of the movie, all of the siblings, save Gerry, let on that they did not like or have much respect for their mother, grasping at straws to find any excuse to avoid spending her birthday with her. The reason, one sister said, was that Gerry didn't know how their mom was to the rest of them....which provided no actual explanation, and gave the appearance that very little thought was given into the movie's back story. I felt it was a weak movie with a lot of vague, suggestive lines leading you to assume (or guess at) things that have happened. Isn't the purpose of a movie to SHOW you things instead of TELL you things? Mainly, I saw a bunch of people going back and forth to each others' houses, arguing about whether or not Dad deserved to come to Christmas. The transitions were awful and there was no rhyme or reason to why they were at one place or another; it just felt like they were changing settings just to change settings. Another thing: where was the grand apology? Where was the sweeping her (and the family) off their feet and MAKING them believe that he was truly sorry? A movie like that is supposed to make you feel GOOD about the ending. This just made me feel like the mom was grudgingly allowing him into her house, the kids had a sudden change of heart, but no real apology, healing or growing was done as a family (or by any family member individually). That's what is supposed to happen at the end of a movie like this. Don't get me wrong, I love movies that don't end traditionally, but this movie made me FEEL nothing. I was severely disappointed.

rsj624 --WARNING: There may be some spoilers ahead for those who haven't seen the film, so just a heads up. In order to accurately review this film, it may be necessary to talk about some key moments.--For anyone familiar with any of Edward Burns previous films, The Fitzgerald Family Christmas should be a welcome addition to his quirky & modest-budget collection of films centered around individuals living out complicated and dramatic lives in New York. Nothing new stands out, and most of the cast from his previous film 'Newlyweds' reside in this ensemble tale of eight siblings coming together to celebrate Christmas Day with their mother who has just received word through Gerry, her go to son (played by Burns) that their father, who has remained estranged from most of the family for 20 years, wants to reconnect for one last holiday with his whole family. It's been told before, but never with such a melancholy chaos and whimsically dark, almost satirical tone that only Burns can conjure up.It is much less of a holiday family film, and much more of a portrait of a family during the holidays. Though it cannot be recommended to many primarily due to it's emphasis on these darker elements with little genuine character progression or satisfying resolve, it's not the events in the film that keep it interesting, but the desire to see this family pull through and arrive at a Merry Christmas, even if this future occurrence rarely feels truly threatened throughout the film. If you're looking for a surprise here and there, that's not the point of this film. It's about a family that most can relate to in some way and how Burns anchors down all his siblings through their desires to find happiness in a complicated and confusing family. Burns love interest feels forced, but his character is deserving enough of her kind heart that it's easy to forgive. The sappy ending is less bittersweet than expected, and in spite of it's shortcomings through a lack of genuine action and character development, it's still an enjoyable film to pass the time with.

poliveri54 Tired subject. Too many holes. 1.Why did dad leave? Maybe 7 kids were too much for him. 2.Maybe mom was nuts. 3.And what's Nora's story? Shes from Boston and......? 4.And the pregnant sister? The scene where the brother goes to save her is weak. 5.Why does Ed still live with mom? Each sibling has issues. 6.What's the relationship between the old sick lady and the mother? This isn't new. I grew up almost next door to Mr. Burns, and large Irish families aren't all dysfunctional. I was sorry that the mother gave in in the end. He did manage to leave room for seven sequels.I don't think Ed needed to have seven siblings. If he reduced the number of siblings and their issues, he would have been able to add more substance to the main subject...mom and dad's relationship.