Nothing Like the Holidays Blu-ray Review

Nothing Like the Holidays is an October 27th Blu-ray release from Anchor Bay Entertainment that fills the “token” dysfunctional family movie slot for this holiday season.  One unique difference with this film is that it offers a very eclectic and diverse family represented by a great cast.

With a predominantly Mexican-Puerto Rican heritage, but with even greater diversity created by marriages, the Rodriguez’ are a seemingly tight knit family that comes together for the holidays at their parents home in Chicago.

Jesse (Freddy Rodriguez of “Six Feet Under” and Bobby) tries to rekindle an old flame with Marissa (Melonie Diaz, whose character also lost her man to war in American Son), but she can’t get past him leaving her to go off to war.

Jesse’s older sister Roxanna (Vanessa Ferlito) is a struggling actress dealing with a difficult time making it in Hollywood.  Oldest brother Mauricio (John Leguizamo of Ice Age and Moulin Rouge!) fills the necessary cliche of bringing home a high-powered (and caucasian) executive wife (Debra Messing of “Will and Grace”) who isn’t pleasing to his mother (Elizabeth Pena) who wants grandchildren.

Father Eduardo (Alfred Molina of Spiderman 2) appears to be the glue that holds things together, though he has an alarming secret himself.

With a star-studded cast and a diverse family make up, Nothing Like the Holidays does put a bit of a spin on some classic concepts for dysfunctional family holiday films.  Messing is in her element as the uptight business woman.  Freddy Rodriguez, who was brilliant in HBO’s “Six Feet Under” appears on his way to a successful film career.  Diaz and Ferlito are gaining acclaim, especially from a male audience, and deliver solid performances.  Pena and Molina take control as the family leadership.

Alexander Bautista, Ramses Jiminez, Manny Perez, and the always funny Luiz Guzman are nice supporting players as well.  Nothing Like the Holidays is a nice holiday film with just the right amount of tension and turmoil to make it entertaining.  There are some nice sub-stories that help present that overall theme of a family with real-life problems, but also a powerfully strong bond.

Nothing Like the Holidays Blu-ray special features include:

• Nothing Like the Holidays: Cast Reunion
• Audio Commentary with Freddy Rodriguez, Director Alfredo De Villa and Producer Robert Teitel
• Picture-in-Picture Insider Exclusive with the cast
• Bloopers
• Theatrical Trailer
• Sneak Peeks
• Digital Copy of the Movie

• Actors: John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Freddy Rodriguez, Melonie Diaz, Vanessa Ferlito, Alfred Molina, Elizabeth Pena, Luiz Guzman 
• Format: Color, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only)
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Anchor Bay
• Blu-ray Release Date: October 27, 2009
• Run Time: 98 minutes

Blu-ray Review by Neil of Movie Room Reviews

Tags: Nothing Like the Holidays, Nothing Like the Holidays Blu-ray