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| Jerry Saravia... |
 Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 5:45 pm |
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IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY (1994)
Reviewed by Jerry Saravia
RATING: Three stars
I have a special memory in my heart for Bob Clark's "A Christmas
Story." It is as memorable and nostalgic a piece of Americana as
almost anything else related to Christmas, including Santa Claus. The
trick to the success of "A Christmas Story" is that it had wicked
humor and poked fun at itself. This rarely discussed sequel, "It Runs
in the Family," is decent family fun but it loses a bit of the charm
though, to be fair, it has a playful sense of wickedness.
Consider the setup. Kieran Culkin (replacing Peter Billingsley) plays
Ralph Barker, the kid who once really wished for a Red Ryder BB Gun
for Christmas. Now, he seems to wander around the summer time,
wallowing in his pride to get the perfect spinning top, the kind that
is not too colorful in design but just big enough to make other kids
envious. Alas, this spinning top doesn't quite make it as inspired as
the Red Ryder BB gun (and who can forget that it may shoot your eye
out!) but it will do. It's basically a way of getting even with the
local bully Lug Ditka (the eternally creepy and creepier eyes of Whit
Hertford).
Meanwhile, Dad (Charles Grodin replacing Darren McGavin) bears some
hostility to the noisy hillbilly neighbors next door known as the
Bumpus clan. Dad fights back by staging an air siren and military
instructions with the help of a turntable and some speakers in one of
the funniest scenes in the entire movie.
Mom (Mary Steenburgen replacing Melinda Dillon) has an affinity for
gravy boats that are marked with reproductions of movie stars and gets
one every Ladies' Night at the local movie theatre, along with an
animated short! The problem is she is sick of having so many gravy
boats, and who wouldn't be.
Along with the return of director Bob Clark and narrator Jean
Shepherd, "It Runs in the Family" (also known as "My Summer Story")
replicates some of the same spirit and joy of "A Christmas Story" but
little in the way of novelty or true inspiration. The problem may be
the casting of key roles. Kieran Culkin is a cute kid but he is no
Billingsley, and hardly gives the role the wide-eyed innocence
Billingsley gave. Charles Grodin is a bit miscast but he gives it a
good try - still, he seems harmful in his attempts to deal with the
Bumpus clan (hence, a little more wickedness than expected). The
beauty of Darren McGavin is that he only suggested giving anyone hell,
not like he really had the intent. Mary Steenburgen, however, is
beautifully cast and displays a little more sass than Melinda Dillon
gave the original to warrant sufficient praise.
"It Runs in the Family" was shamefully dumped into limited release in
September of 1994 without any real advertising by MGM. Again, I may be
biased in my nostalgia for the original, but this sequel is nowhere
near as memorable or as charming as "A Christmas Story." Still,
reliable Jean Shepherd's narration and a few funny scenes (including
references to jawbreakers will please the tots and the adults) and
some decent acting overall, not to mention an affection for an era
that no longer exists, merits a mild recommendation.
For more reviews, check out JERRY AT THE MOVIES at:
http://www.geocities.com/faustus_08520/Jerry_at_the_Movies.html
BIO on the author of this page at:
http://www.geocities.com/faustus_08520/index.html
Email me at Faust668 at (no spam) msn.com or at faustus_08520 at (no spam) yahoo.com |
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