The Fitzgerald Family Christmas

Okay I admit I did NOT finish this movie-the cursing and crude comments/discussions among the less-than appealing siblings totally turned me off. I thought the main character-the son who lives at home with mom-and the love interest had real potential but I could not get past the rest of the dysfunctional, selfish family. I wasn't looking for 'fairy tale' but I wasn't looking for seriously dysfunctional either.

this at times is a tough movie to watch, the emotion, the struggles this family goes through. I just wish the cussing was not so bad. for us folks who don't talk like that, kind of hard to watch around folks with sensitive ears. I love Connie Britton, I have loved her in so many movies, Friday Night Lights.

Meaningful, heartwarming, difficult topics, but you won't get BURNED by these filmmakers!! Across the board, GREAT characterizations. I thought Burns was great in My Big Fat Greek Wedding; now I see that was just the beginning of his contributions to film. I'd love to see more of this family and what happens in the following year. Each character is completely lovable, and I care to know how they've dealt with the many things that came up in this film. It is amazing how many different issues were addressed in this one film. This is what films are supposed to be! Kudos and Gratitude!

This is the latest fare for me by the writer, producer, director and actor, Edward Burns, actually, the newest movie out of three I have seen this year: "Newlyweds", "Nice Guy Johnny" and this Christmas card from all of the Fitzgerald family. Completed by a seemingly never ending number of members in this Irish Catholic clan, there are four sisters, three brothers, a mother and their estranged father of twenty years (no spoiler as it is realized straight away). Also add to this brood, a husband, boyfriends, girlfriends, a wife, and a few children. This family is huge but each character is extremely well-written by Burns.At first blush, the title of the movie gave me pause to how well it would be done although considering Edward Burns' body of work I was very optimistic and certainly wasn’t disappointed in the least. Actually, I viewed is all three days that the rental allowed. I was well pleased once again.Burns uses some recognizable faces from his other movies. His brother Quinn or ‘Fitzy’ can be seen in his films, "The Brothers McMullen" and also "She's The One", Connie Britton (Nora) can also be seen in "The Brothers McMullen". Like John Wayne, Burns often uses specific actors over and over in his different movies. In this often melancholy story during Christmas time, the very large number of adult children must come to terms with the fact that their father (who abandoned them while still younger) is coming back for Christmas after so many long years. Gerald -'Gerry' has raised most of the younger siblings and has had to step into the family patriarch role all his life.The other children went their own separate and opinionated ways. Some of them found success, the youngest brother into rehab and all in questionable relationships in regard to stability being children of abandonment. One of the daughters is in a domestic abuse situation while another son (Quinn) is a super achiever. They run the gamut of ladder rungs they have climbed although none of them really have gotten anywhere but away from Gerry and their mother.Gerry chose to give up a life to make sure the family stayed intact and that his mother was always cared for. It is then that the father drops the bomb on his children that he wishes to see them all two days before Christmas on their mother's (Rose) birthday, with good reason as he confides in Gerry. It does come out later what one of the older daughters has been up to without their knowledge.This movie is not as typical of Edward Burns as it is not so focused on the city of New York and it is on the family being the point. He uses much feeling and emotion along with these well drawn out portrayals to drive the plot with a generous amount of dialogue and haunting Christmas music brilliantly scored by PT Walkley.

Great movie. Being born & raised in NYC it certainly hit home. Good story, well developed characters, some sad parts, some laughs. We watched the uncut version. There was one sexual scene. I did not find it offensive. The are a lot of f-bombs, that doesn't faze me. Would I recommend it for children, probably not. I don't think kids would have much interest in the story.

Let me start by saying to the reviewers complaining about the profanity and brief sex scene, I have no idea what else you were expecting. 'The Fitzgerald Family Christmas' is a very loose continuation to Burns' 1995 indie 'The Brothers McMullen', neither of which are made for children. Moral? Don't always expect all holiday movies to be wholesome family fun in the tradition of 'A Christmas Carol' etc!Gerald "Gerry" Fitzgerald (Burns) is a blue-collar Queens mick trying to gather his dysfunctional siblings together for a very special occasion: their father, who abandoned them many years ago, wants to spend Christmas with his family this time around. We find out the primary reason is he has something big to tell them, which may or may not go very well given the cicumstances. The refreshing return of the Burns/McGlone-as-brothers combination is great. Burns' Fitzgerald is basically an older and more mature version of his previous Barry McMullen, minus the sexual hang-ups and insecurity. Overall a charming little piece and a must see for anybody who grew up in an Irish-American household.

A very powerful movie of how Love conquers everytime God/ His Love works all things out & all things are possible w/God & His way of doing life...A movie of unconditional Family Love,repentance Forgiveness & God's restoration of a Family's free will CHOICE TO whole on to ea other after wrongs, regrets. V. touching & heartfelt family love that prevails tTt

This movie centers on a large family, with several brothers and sisters. It explores the mind sets of each adult sibling as they struggle with a "family" decision. Typically, the youngest has far differing attitudes than the oldest. This relatable fact makes the movie appealing, certainly to me.The film is offered in two versions, a very appropriate family "PG-13" and a very inappropriate, in my opinion, "Theatrical" version that has difficulty completing any sentence without use of the ubiquitous "F" word. It is very nice to have a viewing option.My 5 Stars rates the Family version, which I highly recommend.

Subtitles are English SDH & Spanish. (Not just Spanish as listed on Amazon).DVD is USA region 1 encoded so a multiregional DVD player is required!!

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