Nothing Like the Holidays (2008)

A Puerto Rican family living in the area of Humboldt Park in west Chicago face what may be their last Christmas together.

Director:

Alfredo De Villa

Writers:

Alison Swan (screenplay), Rick Najera (screenplay),

Stars:

Alfred Molina, Freddy Rodríguez, John Leguizamo

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alfred Molina	...	Edy Rodriguez
Elizabeth Peña	...	Anna Rodriguez
Freddy Rodríguez	...	Jesse Rodriguez
Luis Guzmán	...	Johnny
Jay Hernandez	...	Ozzy
John Leguizamo	...	Mauricio Rodriguez
Debra Messing	...	Sarah Rodriguez
Vanessa Ferlito	...	Roxanna Rodriguez
Melonie Diaz	...	Marissa
Alexander Bautista	...	Hector
Ramses Jimenez	...	Fernando
Manny Perez	...	Alexis
Claudia Michelle Wallace	...	Tina
Cheryl Hamada	...	Dr. Susan Lee
Manny Sosa	...	Father Torres

Storyline

A Puerto Rican family living in the area of Humboldt Park in west Chicago face what may be their last Christmas together.

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Plot Keywords:

christmas | holidays

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements including some sexual dialogue, and brief drug references

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 December 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Humboldt Park

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$3,531,664 (USA) (12 December 2008)

Gross:

$7,502,429 (USA) (23 January 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

2DS Productions, Overture Films, State Street Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Of the main characters, only Freddy Rodríguez and Luis Guzmán are Puerto Rican, and John Leguizamo is half Puerto Rican and half Colombian.

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Goofs

There is some talk, in early scenes, of Puerto Ricans carrying green cards and joining the US Army to obtain citizenship. Puerto Ricans are not considered aliens under USA law, so this is meaningless.

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Connections

Referenced in Bad Movie Beatdown: Christmas with the Kranks (2009)

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Soundtracks

"A La Cañona"
Written by Rafael Cepeda
Performed by Marvin Santiago
Courtesy of Platano Records, Corp.

User Reviews

A good family holiday movie for everyone.

It's a shame that most people probably will skip this film - because it's a good holiday film with a good message behind it. While you have films like Four Christmases out that are the same romcom you've seen 38 times in holiday format, Nothing Like The Holidays brings the audience together as one for a good family experience.

NLTH boasts a great ensemble cast that really makes things work well, as each character is unique and genuinely interesting. I especially enjoyed the work from Freddy Rodriguez and Alfred Molina. Elizabeth Pena provides a great balance of comedy and drama as the matriarch of the family. Her role looked like a great role to play for any actress, as she got to be funny, as well as at the dramatic center of the movie. Debra Messing was also noteworthy and great.

NLTH is a holiday movie (really, Spy, I had no idea), so it plays out as such. However, this is okay, because the script is original and tugs at you emotionally, always reminding the viewer of the importance of a strong family bond. There's a nice little twist in the end that pretty much explains everything that's gone on and ends the movie nicely, happily, and joyfully. You'll no doubt leave the theater a little more cheerful once you see this film.

During the holiday season, Nothing Like The Holidays is a great movie to watch with your family, as you'll see some stuff you can relate to, and some stuff you can laugh at. It's a fun time for everyone, and the first truly original holiday movie to come around in the last few years. Kudos to everyone involved.