Nothing Like the Holidays
Nothing Like the Holidays is really nothing like most stories based on tense family moments around the old Yule log. For starters other than mom and dad wanting a divorce there’s a lot of love in this Chicago family of 5 with ties to Puerto Rico. Mom (Elizabeth Peña) suspect’s dad (Afred Molina) of having an affair which he doesn’t deny and at dinner just prior to Christmas Eve announces her plan to split. This has quite an effect on the three siblings Jesse (Freddy Rodríguez) an Iraq war vet not damaged as much physically as mentally, Roxanna (Vanessa Ferlito) an aspiring actor not doing nearly as well in Hollywood as perceived at home and Mauricio (John Leguizamo) a New York financier whose wife Sarah (Debra Messing) being Jewish and being in no hurry at 36 to have kids is a constant source of family uneasiness. Returning home means that Jesse and Roxanna have to deal with unresolved matters of the heart not to mention putting up with avuncular cousin Johnny (Luis Guzmán) who steals every scene he’s in. There are some seasonal heart warmings that are genuine here along with sincere smiles through honest moments of humour as Nothing Like the Holidays does not succumb to the temptation of manufacturing cheap laughs through cheesy setups.