The Fitzgerald Family Christmas (2012)

This story had great potential, but was butchered in the way in which it was told. A father coming home for Christmas could make a great, feel-good movie, but it should be the story of the family's amazing reunion, not the story about a family's fight about whether or not he should be allowed at Christmas dinner. Maybe choose ONE character or couple to follow more closely instead of splitting it up into 7 different mini-stories, each which should have its own movie all its own. You have the central character(s) and supporting roles. This was just CHAOS; most of the kids had their own separate story lines, and none of them had complete, satisfying closure. What happened with Connie and the baby? Where's the justice for her husband? What about Gerry and Nora? Did they make it to their happily ever after? In the beginning of the movie, all of the siblings, save Gerry, let on that they did not like or have much respect for their mother, grasping at straws to find any excuse to avoid spending her birthday with her. The reason, one sister said, was that Gerry didn't know how their mom was to the rest of them....which provided no actual explanation, and gave the appearance that very little thought was given into the movie's back story. I felt it was a weak movie with a lot of vague, suggestive lines leading you to assume (or guess at) things that have happened. Isn't the purpose of a movie to SHOW you things instead of TELL you things? Mainly, I saw a bunch of people going back and forth to each others' houses, arguing about whether or not Dad deserved to come to Christmas. The transitions were awful and there was no rhyme or reason to why they were at one place or another; it just felt like they were changing settings just to change settings. Another thing: where was the grand apology? Where was the sweeping her (and the family) off their feet and MAKING them believe that he was truly sorry? A movie like that is supposed to make you feel GOOD about the ending. This just made me feel like the mom was grudgingly allowing him into her house, the kids had a sudden change of heart, but no real apology, healing or growing was done as a family (or by any family member individually). That's what is supposed to happen at the end of a movie like this. Don't get me wrong, I love movies that don't end traditionally, but this movie made me FEEL nothing. I was severely disappointed.

Edward Burns' Christmas movie deals with the sensitive issue of parental abandonment, and alcoholism, oh, and finding love in middle age, and inter-religion marriage, and finding love in advanced age, and unemployment, and unwanted pregnancies, oh, and spousal abuse, and gold- digging and learning to settle and failing businesses and problematic children, and reconciliation and a few other "B" plots. In fact, Burns' script contains so many plots that the alcoholic (or at least the one that has sought treatment for it) Fitzgerald brother returns from rehab, borrows some money from Burns' character and is quickly forgotten about. Burns' attempt to juggle enough family-themed plots to fuel a year's worth of Lifetime movies for women means that those that don't be resolved essentially get forgotten. On the positive size, the open questions give him a platform to produce sequels until we get "Fitzgerald Family Christmas XXII: We Finally Return to Burns' Character's Romance With the Nurse". In short, the attempt to cram so many sub-plots and characters into a hour and forty minute running time means none receive anywhere near the attention needed to build any suspense or character development - see "Home for the Holidays" for a much better realized version of the same idea.

THE FITZGERALD FAMILY Christmas (2012) ***1/2 Edward Burns, Connie Britton, Kerry Bishe, Heather Burns, Dara Coleman, Brian d'Arcy James, Marsha Dietlin, Noah Emmerich, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Anita Gillette, Tom Guiry, Ed Lauter, Malachy McCourt, Michael McGlone, Daniella Pineda, Nick Sandow, Johnny Solo, Joyce Van Patten. Fimmaker Burns' return to form in this indie gem and instant holiday classic - the sprawling/brawling Irish-American Fitzgerald family is in flux largely due to the dilemma of the estranged patriarch returning to the next for the forthcoming seasonal celebration with various affairs, rehabilitations and sibling rivalries in the mix as well as a matriarch far from willing to bury the hatchet (unless perhaps in her no-good ex' skull for starters). Funny, poignant and smartly written and low-key directed allowing each of the characters a few moments to shine and the genuine feeling of how the love/hate dynamic of ALL families is too-universal to a fault. Great performances particularly veterans Gillette and Lauter as the feuding parents. A wonderful indie present for filmgoers and a must see.

Loved this movie! Having grown up Irish on Long Island, in a broken family, I can vouch for its authenticity. From the kitschy plastic Christmas decorations on the front lawn to the tough slang of the brothers, it's L.I. all the way.In the movie, the father left the family 20 years ago, and now comes back and expects to spend Christmas with his"family" again--his ex-wife and seven children--even though many want nothing to do with him.The film has a great natural flow, and it's charming throughout. It was great to see Ed Burns again and he's picked a great ensemble for his movie. I haven't seen many of his movies but plan to catch up.