It Runs in the Family (2003)

This is the story of a dysfunctional New York family, and their attempts to reconcile.

Director:

Fred Schepisi

Writer:

Jesse Wigutow

Stars:

Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas, Bernadette Peters

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Douglas	...	Alex Gromberg
Kirk Douglas	...	Mitchell Gromberg
Rory Culkin	...	Eli Gromberg
Cameron Douglas	...	Asher Gromberg
Diana Douglas	...	Evelyn Gromberg
Michelle Monaghan	...	Peg Maloney
Geoffrey Arend	...	Malik
Sarita Choudhury	...	Suzie
Irina Gorovaia	...	Abby Staley (as Irene Gorovaia)
Annie Golden	...	Deb
Mark Hammer	...	Stephen Gromberg
Audra McDonald	...	Sarah Langley
Josh Pais	...	Barney
Bernadette Peters	...	Rebecca Gromberg
Louie Torrellas	...	Jeremy

Storyline

Wealth can't spare three male generations of the dysfunctional Jewish New York Gromberg family grief or grim reality. However successful in life, Alex never felt pleasing pride or proper parental support from sprightly patriarch Mitchell, who sarcastically imposes his own values and priorities on everyone and everything. Alex starts despairing that his modern permissiveness may ruin his own bright firstborn, college-boy Asher, unlike adoring kid-brother Eli. A dorm-drug-bust pushes things to the limit -- or beyond?

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Plot Keywords:

jewish slur | jew | watching tv | college | play | 

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Taglines:

Some families can survive anything. Even each other.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for drug content, sexual material and language

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English Hebrew Spanish

Release Date:

25 April 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Smack in the Puss

Filming Locations:

Kinnelon, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,804,441, 27 April 2003

Gross USA:

$7,491,839

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,211,508

Company Credits

Production Co:

Buena Vista International, Family Films, Furthur Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Diana Douglas, Michael Douglas's real mother, plays the mother of his character and the wife of Kirk Douglas even though she had been divorced from Kirk for over 50 years. Kirk's second wife Anne Douglas, is not an actress.

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Quotes

Mitchell Gromberg: Alex, you're a much better father than I was.
Alex Gromberg: Thank you. But you didn't exactly set the bar all that high.

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Alternate Versions

C'est de famille (Quebec French Title)

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Connections

Referenced in Bad Movie Beatdown: Scissors (2012)

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Soundtracks

Carwash Romance
Written by David J. Pino
Performed by Damone
Courtesy of The RCA Music Group, a Unit of BMG Music
Under license from BMG Special Products

User Reviews

A light-hearted family comedy (6.5/10)

It's a light-hearted family comedy. The chemistry between the casts is wunderful, especially that of Kirk and Diana Douglas. The husband-and-wife conversations in the film feel warm and real, thanks to Jesse Wigutow's good script. The Douglas family really pulled it off without making it a vanity.

Although I agree with other ratings on IMDB, I feel that this movie is underrated here.

(6.5/10)