A year after his stroke, grandfatherly Kirk Douglas (as Mitchell "Pappy" Gromberg) is in remarkable shape, and is seeing a speech therapist. Happily married son Michael Douglas (as Alex) is nonetheless having a hard time fighting off the urge to merge with a hot co-volunteer. Third generation Cameron Douglas (as Asher) is a way too laid-back college drug user, and dealer. He encourages sixth grade little brother Rory Culkin (as Eli) to start putting some notches on his young belt. "You poking' her?" young Mr. Douglas asks little brother about a classmate. "I'm eleven," Mr. Culkin explains. "It Runs in the Family" is an unfunny dysfunctional "light-hearted comedy," with heavy-handed dramatic overtones. Surprisingly, Donna (as Evelyn) is the best Douglas in the house. The greater Douglas/Douglas pairing fizzles like a senile uncle's gas at the supper table.
**** It Runs in the Family (4/25/03) Fred Schepisi ~ Michael Douglas, Kirk Douglas, Cameron Douglas, Bernadette Peters
**** It Runs in the Family (4/25/03) Fred Schepisi ~ Michael Douglas, Kirk Douglas, Cameron Douglas, Bernadette Peters