First Look: ‘The Fitzgerald Family Christmas’ with Edward Burns and Connie Britton

Edward Burns and Connie Britton in "The Fitzgerald Family Christmas"
Edward Burns and Connie Britton in "The Fitzgerald Family Christmas" distributed by Tribeca Film. Photo Credit William Rexer.

I’m assuming after watching this trailer that The Fitzgerald Family Christmas isn’t a fluffy, feel-good family holiday film. With TFFC, Edward Burns returns to the genre of filmmaking from his The Brothers McMullen days, delivering a working-class Irish-American dysfunctional family story set during the holidays.

Aiming for a November 21, 2012 release On Demand followed by a limited release in theaters on December 7, The Fitzgerald Family Christmas stars Burns, Connie Britton, Mike McGlone, Noah Emmerich, Kerry Bishe, and Ed Lauter.

The Plot:

Burns weaves an ensemble story of adult siblings dealing with the desire of their estranged father (Ed Lauter) to return home for Christmas for the first time since he walked out on his family 20 years ago. Family rifts emerge, and like with any family, Christmas brings a mixed bag of complicated emotions and dynamics. Alliances form, old wounds are reopened or glossed over, and the possibility for a new hope and forgiveness emerges.