Though
being sold as a comedy “The Family” didn’t get a single laugh, smile or
giggle from the audience with the over the top violence and even at
points when it is trying to be a spoof or parody or satire the sadistic
beatings and various scenes with hammers, bats, heated grills cut off
any smile you might have.

Michelle
Pfeiffer, as beautiful as ever, is funny just with a look from a scene
shown in the coming attractions and even not considered a stretch for
Robert De Niro he has a few joyous moments ‘debating’ “GoodFellas”.
Playing husband and wife they are in a witness protection program with
their children played by Dianna Agron, who certainly can pass for
Pfeiffer’s daughter and while John D’Leo bares no resemblance to any of
the other three he does come off as a chip off the old block of his
gangster father.

Tommy
Lee Jones adds some weight to the film just with his presence but has a
role that he can only walk through. Many of the supporting players as
police or FBI agents and gangsters all look, and act, their roles
believably.

I
think the enjoyment of this films comes from the director Luc Besson,
who also had a hand in the screenplay with Michael Caleo, and executive
producer Martin Scorsese who have been in this territory before and
don’t take themselves seriously.

“The Family” is much better than expected which is always a good surprise when going to the movies.