Nothing Like the Holidays (PG-13) ***

John Leguizamo, Debra Messing and Alfred Molina star in "Nothing Like the Holidays".

 

Rick Bentley, The Fresno Bee

There's every reason to be skeptical about the new holiday feature Nothing Like the Holidays. Most holiday-themed films over the past few years have been naughty: Fred Claus,Christmas with the Kranks,Deck the Halls, etc.

But Nothing Like the Holidays deserves a spot on the ''nice'' list.

This is a touch-your-heart warm, make-you-ache funny and cause-you-to-think smart movie about a family's annual reunion for Christmas. While the family happens to be Latino, the themes of this sweet comedy will connect with anyone who has spent even a second with his or her family during a holiday.

The members of this Chicago family are facing some serious issues. The youngest son, Jesse (Freddy Rodríguez), is trying to cope with emotional war wounds that have cut him to his soul. His sister, Roxanna (Vanessa Ferlito), is a struggling actress who can not live up to her family's -- or her own -- expectations.

Then there are the oldest son, Mauricio (John Leguizamo), and his wife, Sarah (Debra Messing). The couple is in a tug-of-war over of careers vs. starting a family.

Even the parents (Alfred Molina and Elizabeth Peña), bring some emotional baggage to the holiday table.

Holiday films require a delicate touch. If director Alfredo De Villa had drifted too far into the emotional turmoil, the film would have lost its comic edge. And leaning too much toward the comedy would have smacked the reality right out of the story.

De Villa perfectly balances every moment. He allows moviegoers to become invested in his characters. Once that investment is made, it is as easy to care for each family member as it is to laugh with them.

Every performance is on target. Most notable is Rodríguez. Storylines dealing with the Iraq war have not been popular at the box office, but Rodríguez makes his character such a combination of strength and weakness that the role becomes more about the human spirit than politics.

After so many holiday-movie duds, Nothing Like the Holidays is a gift to theater audiences.

Cast: Freddy Rodríguez, Alfred Molina, John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Elizabeth Peña

Director: Alfredo De Villa

Screenwriters: Alison Swan and Rick Najera, based on a story by Robert Teitel and Rene M. Rigal

Producer: Robert Teitel, George Tillman Jr.

An Overture release. Adult themes. Running time: 102 minutes.

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