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USA 2003
Director: Neal Israel
Cast: Judge Reinhold, Bryan Cranston, Penelope Ann Miller, Hallie Todd, Antony Holland, Meghan Ory, Calum Worthy, Britt Irvin, Reece Thompson
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: 23 November 2003
Running Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
The Movie Review
Show me laugh! not just Love!
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NATIONAL LAMPOON'S
HOLIDAY REUNION |
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Big name in the movie industry doesn't always identical with big quality. As is the case for the latest entry in National Lampoon’s franchise. This time it avoids the teenage-related material and opts for a family-related one. Unfortunately, this time it's also devoid of the usual fun that National Lampoon used to deliver. Holiday Reunion is a made-for-TV movie.
The premise is very simple and modest. Dr. Mitch Snider is a successful anesthesiologist who is in an American-style mid-life crisis with his wife Jill who's too busy in spending her money and two children who don't seem to care for a harmonious family life anymore. One day, Mitch (Judge Reinhold) got invited by his eccentric hillbilly-like cousin Woodrow Snider (Bryan Cranston) to spend the thanksgiving in Woodrow's house. On the contrary with Mitch, Woodrow's family is poor but happy. Soon those two families are going to feel the culture shock, and realizing that Woodrow is Mitch Snider's only relative, they just have to figure out how to deal with that wacky Woodrow family.
Simple is sometimes powerful, but not in this comedy movie. Although it's powerful enough to beat me from stifling my yawns. The entire cast acting quality is actually good, but maybe the script requires them to act over-the-top almost all the time. Neither of them has strong character, and even the ending scene is forced just to make sure Holiday Reunion ends happily just like what a comedy film used to do. The script tries to dig some possible funny situations that could come up from a culture clash, but being devoid of any real funny dialogue or even an interesting backdrop makes Holiday Reunion just like drop of water on the comedy river. Nothing special.
The movie quality? Oh boy, the characters are sympathetic and their dialogue is not offensive, but they are way too ordinary, that makes me neither hate it nor love it. I was just wondering, if I weren't a movie reviewer, would I spend my time watching it? No, it's not a movie that my 1-hour-and-a-half time worth given for.
© iwan pranowo of Movielogy.com
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