Plot: What’s it about?
Donald “Doc” Holiday (Dave Coulier) is a small time con man with big dreams, but his plans always seem to be foiled by his bad luck. Whenever he gets some cash, he always gambles and now, he finds himself on the run from an enforcer. If he doesn’t come up with some serious money soon, he’ll be in serious trouble. So when a lawyer informs him he could inherit millions, Doc is intrigued, but soon disheartened. He has to prove he has changed his ways, settled down with a family, and even have gainful work. But while he has none of those things, he has a little time to make it happen, so he bribes two runaway orphans to pose as his kids, then tricks a beautiful women into posing as his wife. The scam seems to work at first, but when Doc starts to wish his fake life was his real life, is it too late for him start over?
This is without question a movie aimed at families, so keep in mind, there is sap, melodrama, magical turn of events, and some Christian values. The movie is by no means goodie-goodie, but it does have a Christian message, though again, it isn’t force fed as you watch. At its core, The Family Holiday is a brisk comedic movie, which tries to instill the importance of family, even for those of us who aren’t perfect souls. The movie is sappy to be sure, a bit too much for my tastes, but I think youngsters will enjoy it and parents will appreciate the positive values involved. Dave Coulier kind of vanished after Full House, but he is decent here, even giving us his impressions a few times. I can’t really judge The Family Holiday on the normal scale, because it is a family oriented movie and never tries to hide that. The movie isn’t great, but it is solid and has some good humor, not to mention positive values, so The Family Holiday is recommended.
Video: How does it look?
The Family Holiday is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. This transfer is solid, but unremarkable. The image is clean, but detail is middle of the road in most scenes. I wouldn’t call the image soft, but it isn’t that sharp, as depth is limited. I found colors to be bright and bold however, while contrast is stable and well balanced. So while the image is a touch soft, overall it looks good and most viewers should be satisfied.
Audio: How does it sound?
A Dolby Digital 5.1 option is included, but this is basic stuff, so don’t expect miracles. The audio is driven by dialogue, so the surrounds don’t have a lot to do here. The music is given some extra life in the surrounds though, as do some of the most potent sound effects, however infrequent. The vocals all ring clear and true, so no one liners or other dialogue is lost in the shuffle. This track isn’t memorable, but it gets the job done.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes no bonus materials.
