OxfordPress.com

Not that the elder Douglas doesn't still have the stuff stars are made of, but the three-time Oscar nominee and honorary Oscar recipient suffered a stroke in 1996 that left his speech impaired. In this aptly title Douglas family reunion, Douglas senior is virtually typecast as Mitchell Gromberg, the domineering patriarch of a wealthy New York family, now slowed by a stroke. His son, Alex (the other Douglas), has what you could call "father issues," i.e., he takes issue with just about everything Dad does (rightly so, many times). Alex's graceful mom, Evelyn (Diana Douglas, Michael's real-life mom whom Kirk divorced 53 years ago) tries to run interference, but there's only so much she can do. Alex's most vocal response to his father's stroke is, the only thing that's changed is that it's more difficult for him to pronounce his insults.

Father-son tensions literally run in the family. Alex and his wife, Rebecca ((Bernadette Peters) aren't communicating too well with their two sons. The eldest (Cameron Douglas, Michael's son), sells dope and skips classes.The youngest (Rory Culkin), hands his parents an itemized list of expenses rather than simply asking them to raise his allowance.

Finally, Alex and Rebecca are having their own communication problems. For their anniversary, she gives him a ticket to Florence; he gives her a sewing machine.

The shamefully misleading trailers suggest the picture is a kind of "Grumpy Old Men" -- "Grumpy Old Douglas Men" perhaps. While there are broadly comic scenes and distressingly cutesy moments, much of the movie is emotionally honest in its examination of the frictions that can cripple a family of caring individuals. The patterns we set, the old wounds we nurse.

A streak of sappiness comes with the territory, especially in the neatly-tied-up resolutions, and the movie certainly takes its time. But director Fred Schepis ("Plenty," "Six Degrees of Separation") doesn't make many stupid movies. The stupidest this one gets is when the Gromberg males offer smutty advice to each other on how to score with women; does Michael really want his new daughter with Catherine Zeta-Jones to be treated this way?

Overall, however, the film has a welcome tenderness and respect for its characters. When Mitch goes to "their" restaurant for the first time without Evelyn, his pained dignity and the waiter's averted yet sympathetic gaze say everything.