SunnyHello Nice effects though.

Grimossfer Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

Helllins It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

eric262003 "It Runs in the Family" is a juxtaposition of fiction and reality that as a family drama that centers around three generations of the Douglas family that has its fair share of dysfunctional traits as the fictional Gromberg family portrayed here. Kirk Douglas stars as Mitchell Gromberg, the head patriarch of the family and Evelyn Gromberg plays his wife which is the real life ex-wife of Kirk's, Diana Douglas. Their lawyer son is Alex played by Kirk's real-life son Michael Douglas who also served the movie's producer. While the film is running, one has to wonder how the relationship between Mitchell and Alex close reflect to the rel-life bonding of Kirk and Michael. In addition to this family casting is Cameron Douglas in his debut as the elder grandson Asher. The movie reflects upon the interactions of the the characters, which is apropos to the personal experiences that the Douglas family has encountered over the years. The remaining cast includes Rory Culkin's role as Asher's younger brother Eli and Bernadette Peters as Alex's psychiatrist wife, Rebecca. The centerpiece of this story concentrates on the lack of family traits in an Upper-class Jewish-American family in a middle-class Manhattan estate. The head of the household is the aging Mitchell who opened a successful law firm where Alex is also employed. Mitchell has lost a step or two from a stroke that has caused him to lose clarity in his voice and a loss of physical attributes which now he has to depend on his son and grandson to pick up the pieces he left behind. While this is happening, the female clan are depending on themselves to keep everything under control of these difficult times. But the setbacks take a turn for the ugly become a hindrance to the family's stability. Asher becomes a pot-dealer and failing his first semester in college, Alex is schemed by an assistant at the soup kitchen he volunteers at, and Eli has alienated himself from the family that he depends on an Excel spreadsheet as a communicative tool to ask for an allowance. Sure it's not all drama, there are some very humorous moments in the movie. Sure there's tragedy in the movie that has two members die, but their deaths symbolize the distance the family has upon each other and it was never padded on for good measure.The complexity of the story wheels upon the various family issues as they try to thrive upon the need to succeed, the values of love and dominance, while facing the tribulations of grief, and moving on in a new chapter of life regardless of age. It will open your heart, but won't always leave you in tears, but more in observing the feelings the characters have while coping through the difficult stages one has to go through. Sure the humor is very useful during the tragic stages, but the emotional scenes are hard to swallow that you're left with no choice but to feel like you need to be involved with their situations. The complexity of this story does have its setbacks as well. It feels like there was no conclusion to the story. The only sub-plots that end are the ones where two characters have to die off. Granted nothing is completely resolved in the end, but it does have some potential for hope. The acting was brilliant and it is a great slice of life, so if you like emotional tearjerkers, then this movie's for you. I gave it an eight instead of nine or ten, because I feel that I shouldn't watch this movie multiple times. Maybe twice the most. Or a third if I'm in the mood. I think of it as a low-budget version of "Moonlight Mile" which centers on similar themes as "It Runs in the Family". It's a great watch (not excellent), but if you ask me what the moral to the ending of the story is, taken from the words of Eli when a question comes to him, "whatever".

moviesampink It Runs in the family is a great movie to watch with family. The character's have great chemistry together. The cast is incredibly talented, especially, Kirk Douglas, he still has that spark in him that makes him a natural. Dina Douglas (mother,grandmother) is a delight to watch. Michael Douglas is an inspiration as Alex. Cameron Douglas is a very talented young man. Rory Culken is a clever and talented boy like his brother. Once again, Bernadette Peters shows that she is an incredible actress. If you want a great family movie to watch, this one is the one or if you want a comedy, this movie has some scenes that has some funny moments. I give this movie a 10/10 rating.

lavatch There might have been a good film project in pairing Kirk Douglas and his son Michael. These two actors have been leaders in their field in more than a half century of movie making. I would have preferred a documentary-style film in which these two legendary performers reminisce about their films, their careers, and their relationship. It is obvious that Michael adores his father. Unfortunately, "It Runs in the Family" was not a showcase for these actors' talents. The film proceeded in fits and starts. Oddly, the storyline was that of a dysfunctional family with many embarrassing scenes, including one jaw-dropper with Kirk and Michael setting a boat ablaze as a funeral pyre with Kirk's dead brother aboard. They flee the scene as the police and fire department arrive. Was this sequence supposed to be funny? The cast is rounded out by such fine performers as Bernadette Peters and Audra McDonald, who are wasted in the film. In their film careers, both Kirk and Michael Douglas consistently showed good taste in their film projects. "It Runs in the Family" was a notable lapse and an unfortunate exercise in self-indulgence.

grandmere-1 It's sad to see Fred Shipisi's name on such a mess of a vanity project for the Douglas family. And it's creepy to watch Kirk Douglas's ex-wife play his loving wife in the movie. The best thing in it is Rory Culkin, who seems to have wandered in from another, more interesting, film. Not worth renting.