![]() Quoting a remark made by the actor Joe Bologna during a visit to the Universal Studios theme park, Grodin asked Baumbach, “Who do you have to fuck to get off this tour?” Baumbach spent perhaps two hours shooting a brief scene in which Grodin has his bow tie adjusted by Naomi Watts. Grodin then described his first day on “While We’re Young,” Noah Baumbach’s new comedy, in which he plays Ben Stiller’s father-in-law. for getting him home at a reasonable hour. When he is offered work, “I never say, ‘How much?’ I say, ‘Where?’ ” He praised Louis C.K. Grodin-baseball cap, zip-up corduroy jacket, wan smile-said that he hadn’t been out to the movies in fifteen years. G.” the hits of the Carpenters, including “Top of the World,” played on the sound system. For example, Grodin played a recurring character-an unsolicitous, if insightful, doctor-in the fourth season of “Louie.”Īt eleven-thirty on a recent morning, Grodin was not far from his home, in the Red Barn restaurant, in the shadow of the Merritt Parkway. He wrote books filled with lightly curmudgeonly anecdotes and began recording one-minute syndicated commentaries, about this and that, for CBS Radio, sometimes ending with the words “Oh, boy.”īut, a few years ago, when Grodin was in his mid-seventies, he began to act again: demand for his representations of pained, wincing men somehow overpowered his wish never to leave Wilton. In the mid-nineteen-nineties, Charles Grodin retired from acting and withdrew to Connecticut, to spend more time with his wife, Elissa, his young son, and a collection of life-size fibreglass animals-including a buffalo-that he installed in his back yard. It Runs in the Family/My Summer Story is worth a watch but unlike its predecessor, you will likely not find yourself wanting an annual viewing.Charles Grodin Illustration by Tom Bachtell Jean Sheppard once again narrates, bringing his cozy, friendly voice to the proceedings. The producers wisely chose to film it in the exact same house and it is interesting getting a glimpse of the neighborhood without its winter cover. The best I can write of this movie is that the characters are so very familiar and likable that watching this film is like paying a summer visit to some old friends. Ralphie's best friends, Flick and Schwartz, barely make an appearance. Real life brothers, Kieran and Christian Culkin play Ralphie and Randy but neither are anywhere near as charming as Peter Billingsley and Ian Petrella. Steenburgen fares better but she is never given a truly great moment to shine. Often, Grodin seems to be attempting an impersonation, making his voice growl, when he should have simply played the role in his own way. Parker, as Darren McGavin left such an impression on the part. Charles Grodin has it the worst portraying Mr. By the end of the film, Ralphie experiences an important moment with his father that all boys need to have, but it is hardly a decent climax to a film, at least not as how it is executed here.Īs the original cast is so associated with their characters, it was an uphill battle for these actors to play their roles. Not only are the jokes milder, but the plot is more of a series of events without a central driving plot device. In fact, the entire film is warm and light but it never comes close to being as hilarious as Ralphie getting Santa’s boot in his face. Parker’s collection of Ronald Coleman gravy boats are worth some smiles but none of these events create any actual laughs. Parker loses her patience at a movie theater offering movie star dishware. The old man goes to battle with the hillbilly neighbors, while Mrs. Ralphie is not the only one with a quest this summer. Lug is the local champion top spinner and Ralphie makes it his goal to get the best top he can and beat Lug. ![]() We meet a new villain, Lug, for Ralphie to deal with. It begins at the end of the school year where the only returning cast member, Tedde Moore as Miss Shields, makes a brief appearance. ![]() It Runs in the Family/My Summer Story takes place the summer after the winter that brought Ralphie his beloved red rider bb gun. It was a fruitless effort as its association with that Christmas classic is the most it has going for it. ![]() The assumption being that it was a lesser film and MGM did not want it compared to A Christmas Story. MGM had the name changed just prior to its theatrical release but returned to it when the movie went to video. It Runs in the Family was originally titled My Summer Story as it was a sequel to the cherished holiday favorite, A Christmas Story (1983). ![]()
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