The Fitzgerald Family Christmas

Writer-director-actor Edward Burns makes another trip to the well of working-class NYC Irish-American family life here in the style of his breakthrough hit, The Brothers McMullen. The Queens-based Fitzgeralds are a big, less-than-happy Irish-Catholic family, approaching Christmas embroiled in various forms of romantic/marital über-drama. Sister Connie's (Caitlin FitzGerald) brutish husband reacts badly to a lost job opportunity—and worse to her unplanned pregnancy. Sister Dottie (Marsha Dietlein) discards her husband for a casual affair with an Italian lothario. Only brother Gerry (Burns) seems to have time (mainly because his love train-wreck happened earlier, offscreen) to spend with matriarch Rosie (Anita Gillette) on her birthday, which falls two days before Christmas. But Gerry has a hidden agenda: to soften up Rosie and reunite the contentious clan for a Nöel visit by their hated father, Big Jim (Ed Lauter), who abandoned Rosie for a younger woman 20 years earlier. Now divorced and cancer-stricken, Jim seeks forgiveness from his bitter brood. Boasting a good ensemble cast and a non-mawkish theme of forgiveness, this is a solid holiday drama. And look for Malachy McCourt, of the eminent McCourt literary family, in a supporting role as a priest. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include both the unrated theatrical and rated versions of the film, audio commentary by writer-director-star Edward Burns, and trailers. Bottom line: a small extras package for an often engaging holiday film.] (C. Cassady)