It Runs in the Family (2003 film)

It Runs in the Family
Directed by	Fred Schepisi
Produced by	Michael Douglas Marcy Drogin Jesse Wigutow - Associate Producer - Joel Douglas - Executive Producer - Kerry Orent Fred Schepisi
Written by	Jesse Wigutow
Starring	Michael Douglas Kirk Douglas Cameron Douglas Diana Douglas Rory Culkin and Bernadette Peters
Music by	Moose Charlap Paul Grabowsky Charles F. Sweeney Jr.
Cinematography	Ian Baker
Editing by	Kate Williams
Distributed by	- USA - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer - non-USA - Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release date(s)	April 25, 2003
Running time	109 min.
Country	USA
Language	English / Hebrew / Spanish

It Runs in the Family is a 2003 comedy-drama movie directed by Fred Schepisi and starring three generations of the Douglas family: Kirk Douglas, his son Michael Douglas, and Michael's son Cameron Douglas, who play three generations of a family.

Diana Dill, real-life mother to Michael Douglas and ex-wife of Kirk, plays the wife of Kirk in the film.

Plot

The story involves a highly successful New York City family, each with its set of problems, and highlights the difficulties of the father-son relationship.

Mitchell Gromberg is trying to deal with health problems resulting from a stroke. (Kirk Douglas himself suffered a stroke in 1996.) His son, Alex, works as a lawyer in the firm that his father founded, but is questioning the usefulness of his work and his place in the family. Alex's son, Asher, does not take college seriously and seems lost. The youngest son Eli, while extremely intelligent, is entering a difficult pre-adolescent time, while being socially awkward.

When Alex indulges in a thoughtless and careless brief romantic fling and his psychologist wife Rebecca discovers it, his marriage is threatened. Asher is discovered with illegal drugs and he starts to understand that he is on the wrong path. But major life crises, although devastating, brings the family together in a familial show of support, respect, and love.

Cast

• Michael Douglas as Alex Gromberg
• Kirk Douglas as Mitchell Gromberg
• Rory Culkin as Eli Gromberg
• Cameron Douglas as Asher Gromberg
• Diana Dill as Evelyn Gromberg
• Michelle Monaghan as Peg Maloney
• Geoffrey Arend as Malik
• Sarita Choudhury as Suzie
• Irene Gorovaia as Abby Staley
• Annie Golden as Deb
• Mark Hammer as Stephen Gromberg
• Audra McDonald as Sarah Langley
• Josh Pais as Barney
• Bernadette Peters as Rebecca Gromberg

Production

In his role as producer, Michael Douglas suggested his mother (Diana Dill), Rory Culkin, and Bernadette Peters for their roles. Fred Schepisi noted that they were originally considering Sigourney Weaver for the part of Michael's wife. "Bernadette [Peters] was a really nice balance, playing straighter than you’d usually see her play..."

Total gross was $7,491,839. In comparison, Michael Douglas' next movie, The In-Laws, grossed $20,453,431.

Reception

Critic Steven Holden wrote in The New York Times that the movie is a "surprisingly complex and subtle portrait", and "Besides its laudable reluctance to tie up loose ends, the most courageous thing about It Runs in the Family is its refusal to try to make you love its aggressive, strong-willed characters."

Most reviews, as tallied by rottentomatoes.com, were unfavorable or mixed; the movie has a "Rotten" rating of 28%, with the site's consensus stating "Despite its gimmick casting, the movie ultimately goes nowhere." Roger Ebert wrote: "But the movie is simply not clear about where it wants to go and what it wants to do. It is heavy on episode and light on insight, and although it takes courage to bring up touchy topics it would have taken more to treat them frankly."

External links

• It Runs in the Family at the Internet Movie Database
• It Runs in the Family entry from Rotten Tomatoes
• Interview with Fred Schepisi August 21, 2003