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, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$7,375,836, 26 May 2003

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

When Asher is working on his writing project, he is seen changing the title from "Smack in the Puss" to "Smack in the Kisser" to "Family Jewels"; these were early script titles for this movie.

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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

References Pokémon (1997)

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Soundtracks

Waves
Written by Badi Assad (as Mariangela Assad Simao)
Performed by Badi Assad
Courtesy of The Verve Music Group
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

a plotless characterization film

This was a watchable but highly forgettable film. It bounces around from character to character, with material that is more like character development than a true story. I kept waiting for something to happen, some plot to develop, but it never really did. It was just like a comedic soap opera.

Not that this break from traditional style is all together bad, it's just not that good. I gave it an average 6 stars(mostly for the star power.