Billed as a zany British comedy, this is actually quite a serious film. While its central characters may indeed be "the family from hell" they're never played as over-the-top comic goofballs. And the story itself is very personal. Robert Martin (Evans) is a complete loser--no job, no prospects, and he can't even win at any of the competitions he enters. He loves his wife (Burke) and is fiercely proud of his kids, a heavily pregnant 14-year-old (Dumont) and a son (Byrne) who's dead last in his class. This is the kind of family people cross the street to avoid. And when Robert loses a local newspaper promotion for a dream holiday, he snaps, taking matters into his own hands to ensure his family--plus mother-in-law (Bassett)--get the vacation they deserve.

All of the humour here comes in recognition--of our own desperation or of the insufferable people we deal with every day. Evans is a fine comic performer, and here he gets it absolutely right, with a subtle portrayal of a pathetic cretin who deep down has a heart of tarnished gold. But without Burke's startlingly honest performance the film would be virtually unwatchable--because she gives the film heart and soul with her terrific, nuanced turn as the worn-down wife who can't find a single reason to stay with her husband, but still won't abandon him entirely. Bassett is also natural and authentic, as are the first-timers who play the kids--they may be losers, but they're real people underneath the obnoxious exterior. And even though the plot gets a bit contrived and tidy in the end, the film still manages to grab hold nicely and reel us in.

adult themes, language

4.Sep.01