The Thing About My Folks 2005

Critics score:
45 / 100

Reviews provided by RottenTomatoes

Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: About as entertaining as the yearly family argument, without any of the holiday turkey to make it worthwhile. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: This movie won't dent anyone's career. It's too 'eh' for that. Read more

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Read more

AV Club: Read more

Bill Muller, Arizona Republic: If you leave The Thing About My Folks thinking about your own folks, consider the movie a success. Read more

Renee Graham, Boston Globe: Flat and forgettable, it's a tiresome film barely held together by its plinky piano score, sophomoric flatulence jokes, and cloying greeting-card emotions. Read more

Kevin Crust, Los Angeles Times: While stocked with simple, earnest observations on love, relationships and family, the film's haphazard plotting and often discordant tone keep it from being anything more than an episodic collection of sentimental aphorisms. Read more

Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: Two men of very different generations coming to understand and appreciate each other makes for some fine moments. And that's just the actors. Read more

Scott Brown, Entertainment Weekly: It's about men not so much tackling responsibility as passing it off laterally, and finally pulling an end run into the schmaltz zone. Read more

Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News: If ever there were a movie to see with your pop, this is just the Thing. Read more

Ella Taylor, L.A. Weekly: Even if you've had your bellyful of cute little movies about impossible but adorable families, you might want to make room for this graceful, semiautobiographical riff on Paul Reiser's relationship with his aging parents. Read more

John Anderson, Newsday: The Thing About My Folks is a crowd-pleasing, tear-tugging film about relationships that should have wide appeal and widespread resonance. Read more

Jami Bernard, New York Daily News: A talky therapy session of a comedy. Read more

Ned Martel, New York Times: The Thing About My Folks is Paul Reiser's return to playing Paul Reiser. Read more

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: If you thought Mad About You was cloying and gaggingly cute, this could give you the dry heaves. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: I can't recommend the movie, but I can be grateful that I saw it, for Falk. Read more

Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Reiser wrote the script specifically for Falk and himself, so it's not surprising that the actors bond with their characters. And that makes it easy for the viewers to bond with them. Read more

Susan Walker, Toronto Star: Reiser, a famous face from the long-running TV series Mad About You, here proves himself to be a skilful writer and actor for the big screen. Read more

Time Out: Read more

Dave Calhoun, Time Out: Read more

Time Out: Read more

Robert Koehler, Variety: Good-natured but only memorable as a platform for the amusingly feisty Peter Falk. Read more

Matt Singer, Village Voice: Falk isn't given anything funny to say or do, but his performance is littered with beautiful touches, tiny oases of brilliance in an entertainment desert. Read more