Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.
Mr. Burns shuffles this dense material with the dexterity of a card shark. The pace, although swift, is never rushed. The writing and acting give you vivid enough tastes of the characters - there are seven children, two parents, and assorted spouses, lovers and friends - so that each registers as a singular flavor. Read full review
These Fitzgeralds are loud, selfish and often maddening, but they're a loving group, and you wouldn't mind spending more time with them. Read full review
As an actor, Burns has worked the Hollywood game from "Saving Private Ryan" to "Alex Cross." But his core passion is for making indie movies without studio interference, guerilla style. Because he takes his films personally, so do we. The Fitzgerald Family Christmas is one of his best. Read full review
This tale of a dysfunctional family whose members experience enough personal crises to fuel a dozen films is a virtual compendium of clichés, but the star's sheer likeability makes it go down as easily as a cup of eggnog. Read full review
The Fitzgerald Family Christmas is extremely perceptive about certain angles on life in a big family. Read full review
Burns has assembled such a fine cast that we leave feeling satisfied, as if we didn't get the iPad mini we wanted, but a pretty good novel instead. Read full review
In this overly familiar and ultimately meandering exercise in tedium, Mr. Burns also plays the lead. Read full review
Too much of the film is taken up by creaky plot devices and one sibling vowing to track down and talk to another one to resolve a problem. Read full review
There are a few nicely turned moments... but they're scattered plums in a starchy, flavorless pudding. Read full review
Edward Burns certainly doles out his fair share of family turmoil, but he admirably doesn't make lunatics out of his characters. Read full review