Rating: 
Summary: Watch it, you might as well...
Review: "It runs in the family" is a good movie, not a great movie, but a good movie. It traces the love lives of 3 generations of one family through four different story lines. From grand parents, to Parents, to two Grandchildren. The movie drags at times, and the storyline is full of holes. The problem with the movie is that they chose to cut away from the relationships of each pair in the movie and go with something a little too off beat (for example: Mike douglas' pro bono case at his firm), that really did nothing for the over-all story. The best scenes of the movie come from the parts with Kirk Douglas and his amazingly beautiful (ex-real-life) wife Diane. And the scenes between Mike Douglas and Bernadette Peters. We all know most of the other actors abilities, but I think Diane deserves special honors...she was terrific...and Bernadette Peters, whom I feel is one of the most underrated actresses we have, and i hope we see more of her on screen, she is absolutely breathtaking. But, unfortunately, these are the only good points about hte movie...almost all the scenes with the younger generations are pretty bad...i dont know who did research for the script, but I'm not sure if college life was acurately portrayed. Plus, the performances were bad with the younger generations...except for Rory culkin...he was all right. So, the point is, it is a movie that tries to be "Terms of Endearment", it just has lots of meaningless and pointless scenes, and introduces odd characters (like Malik). Look for the very nice scene towards the beginnning of the movie when the family shares in passover...It feels very impromptu and has some great moments from all actors. Also the scene where Mike Douglas and Bernadette Peters exchange anniversary gifts. I love Bernadette Peters.
Rating:
Summary: Watch it, you might as well...
Review: "It runs in the family" is a good movie, not a great movie, but a good movie. It traces the love lives of 3 generations of one family through four different story lines. From grand parents, to Parents, to two Grandchildren. The movie drags at times, and the storyline is full of holes. The problem with the movie is that they chose to cut away from the relationships of each pair in the movie and go with something a little too off beat (for example: Mike douglas' pro bono case at his firm), that really did nothing for the over-all story. The best scenes of the movie come from the parts with Kirk Douglas and his amazingly beautiful (ex-real-life) wife Diane. And the scenes between Mike Douglas and Bernadette Peters. We all know most of the other actors abilities, but I think Diane deserves special honors...she was terrific...and Bernadette Peters, whom I feel is one of the most underrated actresses we have, and i hope we see more of her on screen, she is absolutely breathtaking. But, unfortunately, these are the only good points about hte movie...almost all the scenes with the younger generations are pretty bad...i dont know who did research for the script, but I'm not sure if college life was acurately portrayed. Plus, the performances were bad with the younger generations...except for Rory culkin...he was all right. So, the point is, it is a movie that tries to be "Terms of Endearment", it just has lots of meaningless and pointless scenes, and introduces odd characters (like Malik). Look for the very nice scene towards the beginnning of the movie when the family shares in passover...It feels very impromptu and has some great moments from all actors. Also the scene where Mike Douglas and Bernadette Peters exchange anniversary gifts. I love Bernadette Peters.
Rating:
Summary: Meet The Douglases...
Review: "It Runs In The Family" takes both a candid and panoramic view inside the lives of three generations of one of Hollywood's most famous families - the Douglases. According to the (entire) film's storyline, Dad Kirk is a senior citizen trying to cope with both retirement and a somewhat "hectic" home life, including a stern, yet loveable wife trying to keep her head above water. Son Michael is a crusty, tough-as-nails lawyer trying to balance both career and family, with a son in college - who's not sure about himself, let alone what to make of his surroundings. Most of the time, the family seems to have it all together, with most of the clan displaying a close-knit relationship, all except for father and son in certain instances. These two squabble about even the most petty of things, but who said a familial relationship has to be free of disagreements and strife, especially between father and son (in certain cases)? It is these particular moments that draws the viewer into the scenario of "IRITF". Seeing father, son and grandson (together) out on an uninhabited lake in a canoe out in the middle of nowhere is priceless, and is just one of this movie's many tender moments that cannot be bought or sold. But, if you want to see good cinematic relations up close and sort-of personal, you'll have to purhase a ticket (or video) to become an "adopted" member of the Douglas family. So, get in line at your theater (or video retailer in the near future) and sign these important papers today!
Rating: 
Summary: A good one for the holidays....
Review: A lot of critics seemed to be pretty cruel to IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY and I'm not sure I can really figure out why. Then again, I'm not sure why so many critics were as polite as they were to A BEAUTIFUL MIND either. Sure, the film is packed full of melodramatic excess but somehow the characters manage to make the audience actually care what happens to them. While the film may not be all that memorable it is fun while it lasts. Kirk Douglas gives an amazing performance even as he struggles with his speech. Michael's son, Cameron, who has the whole hip idiot thing down, also impressed me. All in all, the film is definitely worth a watch around the holidays. It's just that type of movie that reminds you that everyone's family is a little off sometimes but in the end family is family. C
Rating: 
Summary: DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY CLOYINGLY TIES ITS LOOSE ENDS..
Review: A reviewer here called this movie a 'vanity piece' of the Douglas clan. That's a bit harsh because many parts of the movie are actually quite endearing and could easily have been just about any family in a big city. The first 10 minutes leave you wishing for something to happen, a wish that unfortunately remains ungranted until the credits roll. Acting wise, it's decent but amounts to little. Younger generation, in particular Rory Culkin as a young kid and Cameron Douglas (Michael Douglas' real-life son) as a wannabe casanova tween, display an easy charm and grace that makes them watchable. I recommend getting a complete picture of the movie through its quicktime trailor, because the actual movie adds very little to that.
Rating:
Summary: A believable vignette of family life
Review: Even after the reading the mostly negative reviews, I still rather like the movie. Sure, it may be cliche-filled and lacking a clear plot as some of the critics have suggested. But, I feel it's realistic. How of many of us can say that we live our lives without uttering cliches or colloquialisms? How many episodes in our daily lives have clear and dramatic storylines? There are elements of the dysfunctional family living in this movie that we can all relate to. I celebrate this movie, because it does seem like real life to me.
Rating:
Summary: A believable vignette of family life
Review: Even after the reading the mostly negative reviews, I still rather like the movie. Sure, it may be cliche-filled and lacking a clear plot as some of the critics have suggested. But, I feel it's realistic. How of many of us can say that we live our lives without uttering cliches or colloquialisms? How many episodes in our daily lives have clear and dramatic storylines? There are elements of the dysfunctional family living in this movie that we can all relate to. I celebrate this movie, because it does seem like real life to me.
Rating: 
Summary: It Runs in the Family
Review: Excellent movie with a valuable story to tell. A must-see movie for all families.
Rating:
Summary: Drivel
Review: Have you ever wondered why high-priced, high roller and powerful actors take on roles in bad movies? That's the question you'll ask yourself if you watch this drivel.
Perhaps the answer is three generations of Douglases -- Kirk, Michael and Cameron -- appear in "It Runs in the Family". The two older Douglases play Jewish (Gromberg) lawyers (Kirk a retired former partner now overcoming a stroke) while son Asher (Cameron) is a slacker attending college. The cast includes Bernadette Peters as Michael's wife and Rory Culkin and their younger son.
My onscreen guide said the movie was taken from a short story by the guy that wrote "Christmas Story" and was supposed to be a followup on that success based on memories of the pre-teen son, which would be Culkin. Whomever wrote that never saw this movie!
This script was apparently about family dysfunction, since the dad wants to do the nasty with a woman he knows from a soup kitchen, the college boy can't keep his pants on and ends up in trouble with the cops over drugs, and the younger son also has a romantic entanglement with a skag he knows from school. The old man's wife dies, too, pushing him into Michael's disheveled household.
This sounds formulaic except the formula doesn't work. Instead of being drawn into the lives of these losers, you laugh at the silly predicaments created for them by the awkward script. There is hardly a moment in the entire film that represents anything remotely close to real family life. Every moment seems to be taken over by one calamity or another, usually of the male Douglases creation.
For me, this was a memorable film in a negative way. If Michael Douglas made $20 million for this movie, the people that bankrolled this turkey should ask for a 95 percent refund. For, in addition to the movie being a loser, Michael Douglas is badly out of shape in it with a big gut that sticks out. So much for the beautiful people, eh?
Unless you are a Douglas film completist or totally dedicated to seeing something starring a bunch of family members, steer clear of this bomb. It is funny, agreed, but not in positive ways.
Rating:
Summary: Two stars can not make this work....
Review: I always waited for Michael and Kirk Douglas to do a film together....but the wait was not worth it, with this movie because of the weak script and the terrible casting. There was no chemistry between the actors and they played the sort of characters you would more likely see in a cheap soap opera or sitcom. So this movie really is a turkey.
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