‘Nothing Like The Holidays’ Is Carried By Chemistry
A family drama that takes place during Christmas is about as cliched as Christmas films get. Almost every time, a dysfunctional family comes together, all bringing their own unique personalities and emotional baggage to the table. Tensions will rise, conflict will ensue, people will cry, but in the end, all will be forgiven, and the festivities can well and truly begin. Nothing Like the Holidays does not alter this formula at all and brings nothing new to this premise. Yet, it’s still a decent time, in no small part due to its actors.
Released on Friday, December 12, 2008, the film, directed by Alfredo De Villa and distributed by Overture Films, boasts an ensemble cast, with Alfred Molina, Elizabeth Peña, John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, and Freddy Rodriguez to name a few. The film follows a Puerto Rican family living in the area of Humboldt Park in Chicago who are facing what potentially could be their last Christmas together. The main drama focuses on Edy Rodriguez, played by Molina, a father who wishes the best for his family during Christmas and who is at odds with his wife, played by Peña, over a secret. At the same time, their son Jesse, played by Rodriguez, returns from a tour of duty in Iraq and pursues an old flame. Further complicating things is the presence of Mauricio, played by Leguizamo, and his wife Sarah, played by Messing.
There are a lot of moving parts in this story, some of which work and others which do not. The film has a 100-minute runtime, and as a result, cannot quite do justice to all of its characters. It starts off well, doing a great job at establishing its many characters in slice-of-life scenarios as they all move towards the house where the drama will unfold. It’s a testament to the cast and to the writing that everyone is distinct and well-defined within the first act. However, due to the runtime, the drama escalates somewhat jarringly at points, and characters that were established early on are often hung out to dry.
Much of the deeper drama is unfortunately tackled on a very surface level, particularly in the case of Jesse, whose war trauma feels underdeveloped. This is meant to be a dramedy at Christmas, so perhaps this topic may have been too heavy for the film’s tone, but it then begs the question: why tackle such a topic if you can’t deliver on the emotion? However, Jesse does have a surprisingly mature arc as he learns to make a new life for himself, making up with his old love and moving on.
What makes matters worse is that there are plot beats that could have been cut as they add very little to the overall story. A plotline about Jesse’s friend Ozzy, played by Jay Hernandez, where he grapples with the return of the man who murdered his brother is incredibly underdeveloped and leads to nothing. The drama in this instance feels forced, with the subplot being established early on and little to no build-up to a final confrontation that is spelled out and obvious; yet another reconciliation on top of the rest.
Perhaps some of the lackluster drama could have been enhanced by some stronger filmmaking, but all the choices here feel simple and plain. There’s nothing truly special in the cinematography or shot composition that contribute to the story. The only notable symbol is a dying tree at the front of the family’s house, which seems to bare some significance as a symbol of division. Little is done with it, however.
So, if the drama is not strong enough to sustain a viewer’s interest, what reason is there to watch this? Truly, it is the cast that makes this film. Everyone gives it their all here, bringing charisma and wit to each of their roles. The comedic moments flow naturally, and everyone has excellent chemistry with one another. The film makes the effort to make the family believable, and as such, the audience will be invested throughout the film regardless of the lackluster payoffs.
Alfred Molina is a clear standout. He has such infectious warmth and charisma that comes so effortlessly from him. While he may be a simple father character, he nonetheless plays the role with a mixture of nuance and heart that really keeps the film going.
Freddy Rodriguez, however, may just be the strongest performance here. While his plotline is underdeveloped, he nevertheless makes the most of every scene he is in. Rodriguez is the emotional heart of this film, along with Molina, and he sells every moment. He is fun and charismatic with his friends, but the next moment, he is somber, shy, and clearly guilt-ridden. Jesse’s evolution into a mature version of himself feels satisfying all due to the performance, rather than the writing.
A final mention has to go to Debra Messing as Sarah Rodriguez. She stands out within the film as the in-law who is not Puerto Rican. While at first, Sarah appears the be the outcast, the film wisely decides to skip over that cliché, positioning her as a family confidant whom many confide in because she’s different. The writers could have easily focused the drama around her position as an outsider, becoming dull and predictable, but she is well-written and has chemistry with everyone. The writers actually pull off a clever subversion with Sarah, and Messing’s performance brings it all to life.
Overall, while the drama is certainly lacking, there is a lot of charm in Nothing Like the Holidays. The cast are excellent, with infectious chemistry that brings the comedy and warmth needed for a Christmas film. It’s a decent time for the family. Nothing more, nothing less.