Nothing Like the Holidays Reviews - Portrait Reviews

Nothing Like the Holidays
Review by: Amanda


The Rodriguez family, a Puerto Rican-American family in Chicago, is supposed to be having a wonderful Christmas celebration together. The daughter Roxanna (Vanessa Ferlito) flies in from her work as an actress in Los Angeles. The oldest son Mauricio (John Leguizamo) and his wife Sara (Debra Messing) drive down from their busy professional jobs in Manhattan. And Jesse (Freddy Rodriguez) is home from his tour as a soldier in Iraq. It’s supposed to be a great Christmas. Instead, their mother makes the announcement at dinner that she wants a divorce, and the family becomes divided on to whether or not this is a good idea. Old arguments are brought to the surface, new secrets are revealed, and they all have to face what could be their last united Christmas.

When I first saw this film advertised, I was under the impression that John Leguizamo and Debra Messing were meant to carry the film, but this is truly an ensemble cast. Everyone gets their moment to shine in the storyline. My favorite pieces had to be when the entire family was together. It’s really interesting to see the dynamics that exist amongst all of them. It’s also fun to watch the scenes with just the three siblings. All of the performances are stellar, and there is a very honest portrayal of a family within Chicago’s Puerto Rican community. That’s not to say this film’s primary audience should be specific “ethnic” groups. It’s a fantastic film that could be enjoyed by anyone. Now, this film is classified in most places as a comedy-drama, but I would definitely place drama first. It is a dramatic film with a few comedic scenes. Don’t go into it expecting it to be a lighthearted holiday comedy; if you do, you’ll be disappointed.