ShariRN3-1 Like most people I love "A Christmas Story". I had never even heard of this film and perhaps for good reason--it is awful. Same locale, same narrator, same director but the warm fuzziness of the original was lacking. Charles Grodin was a poor choice to replace Darrin McGavin but I cannot imagine anyone being able to replace him. The story seems forced and lacks the sweetness of the original. The interaction with the neighbors, the Bumpuses, is ridiculous. In "A Christmas Story" Ralphie's obsession with the BB gun seems cute but his obsession in this movie is boring. Scud Farkus, the original neighborhood bully, is replaced in this film by yet another kid with braces and a weird hat but with little of the Scud Farkus menacing appeal. It would be pretty difficult to equal the original, even if this movie had been made with the original crew.

coolc5801 My family and I loved a Christmas story and we loved it runs in the family aka. my summer story. Its all about being young and your child hood,people seem to forget that. I've tried to get the movie on DVD and looked everywhere no one has it. If it does come out on DVD my family and i know other's that would love to bye it. My favorites are the hillbilly neighbor's and Charles Grodin. The Culkin boys are great to.This movie is a sure pleaser and it will bring back memories of your childhood.Every neighborhood has neighbor's like the Bumpesses and a child that's trying to live the summer to the fullest.Watch with your family and enjoy Iam sure you and your children will love the movie to.................

herzogvon As a fan of Jean Shepherd since the early 70s, allow me to point out a few faults; egregious and otherwise: a.) It's not Lud Ditka - we all know where that surname came from - it is Lud Kissel. Somehow, Bob Clark has decided to do a morph job on the Kissel clan.b.) Charles Grodin is a wretched, miserable excuse for an actor. He should NEVER have been cast as "The Old Man", and both James Broderick and Darrin McGavin must be spinning in their graves - presuming the latter is dead.c.) And now for the topper; the only baseball reference is to the hated Cubs. This is an obvious concession to the same group of morons that Clark was hoping to attract with the Ditka fabrication. Anyone who has ever read, heard or even looked at Jean Shepherd knows that he is a WHITE SOX fan to the core! It is part of the very fiber of his being, as well as those of Ralph's entire northwest Indiana family. For Sheperd to have allowed this slander, this total distortion of everything he stands for, can only mean one of two things; either he was comatose at the time of shooting, or he was made a monetary offer he couldn't refuse. My money - you should pardon the expression - is on the latter.So, enjoy the amusing bits - ( most of them come early anyway ) - then try and forget you ever saw this sacrilege and do your best to wait patiently until next Christmas, when the REAL Parker clan will once again be on display. My friends, you have been warned.

Steve Doyle I saw it as "It Runs in the Family".I found it very funny. Midwest Gothic humor I guess and I enjoy that and if you like Jean Shepard you'll like this. But also maybe because I didn't try to compare it with "A Christmas Story". It involves one kid's summer in Indiana, trying to outfox the local bully and dealing with the unspoken world of adults. Shepard's crystal clear descriptions of growing up with stand offs and quirky battles. The sets and settings are done perfectly, with all the humid reality of a Midwest summer. I thought Grodin and Steenbergen were great, along with one of the Caulkin kids. I missed the first part, but still enjoyed it.