Feast of the Seven Fishes (2019) User Reviews

Fun Holiday Film Filled with Humor and Heart

[saturdaydm · 8/10 · 5 December 2019]

Feast of the Seven Fishes is a wonderful film with big laughs and big heart about a big family. This film brings out the togetherness of family that is essential at the holiday season, even while every one of the family members is uniquely individual. In spite of all their differences, they manage to pull together a fantastic family tradition of the Christmas Eve feast, while navigating the various small-town dramas going on around them. The film is charming. Be certain that you're not hungry when you start watching, though, or you'll be famished by the end of it. The food (as well as the setting and the characters) is very detailed and believable, and by the end of it you'll be hungry for a side of fish with your holiday cheer.

Mystic Seafood

[Minnesota_Reid · 8/10 · 22 November 2019]

This is quite a nice little movie. Its Christmas stuff is minimal, despite the poster. It mostly relating to preparing the titular feast of the seven seafoods. It was a very good small movie. It felt a bit like 'Mystic Pizza', but with a focus more on the young men rather than the young women. The main couple, Skylar Gisondo and Madison Iseman, were appealing and had good chemistry. The supporting cast was excellent, especially Joey Pants in his best role since 'The Fugitive'. Recommended even for Scrooges like me.

Xmas film this one is goood

[ks-60500 · 7/10 · 26 December 2019]

Tons of Xmas films make for the season but many are garbage. This one bring in the Italian cooking history draw more my attention. You know, love Xmas story has its patterns but this one bring something new in the movie, so it's different.

Nice Christmas movie

[BobbyHazardX · 6/10 · 23 November 2021]

Feast of the Seven Fishes is small and slight, but it's charming and well acted. I'd recommend it as long as your not looking for a lot of drama or plot twists. It's more Moonstruck(ish) My only gripe was the way it ended. I don't know maybe everyone else loved Beth (she did seem like a really nice person) but I preferred the character of Katie. I also felt the actress who played her (Addison Timlin) and Tony (Skyler Gismondo) had more spark. I was hoping they'd get together. That said it's a nice movie and everyone did a really good job.

"It's red, it's green, and a little bit of white, or it's not Christmas".

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 19 December 2023]

I have to admit, I've always wanted to participate in one of those pre-Christmas dinner parties that involved the Italian tradition of the Seven Fishes. I'm not Italian myself but would enjoy the camaraderie and menu selection if anyone out there is listening. As for the story, this came across as one of those 'every day in the life of a small town' experiences, this one set in early 1980's West Virginia. Centered around an extended Italian family, the focus is on teenager Tony Oliverio (Skyler Gisondo) transitioning into manhood with the hopes and concerns facing someone making important life decisions. The prior breakup with a former girlfriend (Addison Timlin) threatens to impede on a potential new relationship, itself hampered by class distinctions held important by Beth Claremont's (Madison Iseman) materialistic mother (Lisa Velten Smith). Tony's family is very typically old school Italian, often approaching a Soprano type vibe when Grandpa Johnny (Paul Ben-Victor), Uncle Frankie (Joe Pantoliano), and Uncle Carmine (Ray Abruzzo) gather around the family table. The good-natured ribbing that takes place among them gives the picture the dose of humor you would expect in a film like this. It's a pretty formulaic story when all is said and done regarding what happens with Tony and Beth, a minor monkey wrench thrown in which is peremptorily dealt with off screen. In case you were wondering, the seven fishes (I always thought fish was plural by itself) in the story were baccalà/salted cod, whiting, smelts, eel, shrimp, calamari and oysters. Not to get too technical, but shrimp are crustaceans, and the last two are mollusks, but I wouldn't turn down an invite on that basis.

HOMETOWN HOLIDAY

[asteele-39456 · 10/10 · 17 November 2019]

Wow! Had no expectations and this movie was just about everything I wanted in an Italian holiday romcom. Nothing too corny or fancy, just exactly what it was growing up Italian in a very small town. Simplistic yet entertaining from start to finish!

Gen X'rs will like this

[bryanmartin-19759 · 7/10 · 10 December 2023]

I graduated high school in 1985. This brought back some realizations and memories. Set in December of 1983, this reminded me of the deep family connections, especially at Christmas, that seem to have disappeared in these days. I love the Italian traditions. Having a very close friend who is Italian, I still see a lot more relative to the film. As a reminder, drinking age was 18 back then and it wasn't really enforced back then.

I love the welcoming family.

This film is nice. Not a comedy, but it does have its moments.

If you're a Gen X age range and appreciate everything that was going on back then, you'll enjoy this Christmas time flick.

Smart. Well-written. Cool. Surprising. What's nostalgia anyway?!

[yatessarah · 9/10 · 16 December 2020]

Well, I'm glad I gave this one a chance!! Not your average, stereotypical festive film. Sopranos meets Brooklyn. Great script, characters that you root for, superb 80s detail, classic romance, big family fun!

Left me wishing I'd got to experience an Italian Xmas! Very, very good! Don't watch with the young ones...

Entertaining...

[bk753 · 7/10 · 10 December 2023]

Born in NY and with a pronounced Italian side of the family, I can relate to this film and may find it more worthwhile than those who didn't live it. The "feast of the seven fishes" is real, the accompanying chaos that goes along with it is real, and the depiction here of a middle class Italian family at Christmas time... is also pretty legit.

The movie is filled with personal interactions spread over a two day period... brother and brother, son and blind date (AND ex-girlfriend), cousin and girlfriend, etc. Four generations meet and cook while the lives around them spark opinions and joy and melancholy. A nice film... if you like this, be sure to also check out Ray Romano's "Somewhere in Queens," a similar Italian family film which I liked just a little bit more.

A hit or miss holiday film.

[SnobReviews · 5/10 · 3 December 2019]

"Feast Of The Seven Fishes" is a sweet yet sometimes dull B-movie, but is sure to capture the heart of holiday movie lovers. . In this holiday comedy, an Italian American family prepare for their annual Christmas Eve feast while reminiscing about the past and seeking out what's to come in the future. . The thing with "Feast Of The Seven Fishes" is it gets good when Paul Ben-Victor is in the scenes but clichéd otherwise. The script is decent and the laughs are spread out, but it can still be an entertaining flick while putting up the Christmas decorations or enjoying some hot cocoa by a fire. Shoutout to Andrew Schulz who's character really made me laugh and who also does a pretty good Italian. Overall a hit or miss but unfortunately this won't become a holiday classic.

If you graduated in 1983? And Italian you'll love this as I did.

[kcitraro · 9/10 · 5 December 2023]

Everything! Yes Everything in this movie is spot on to 1983! Throughout watching I realized I miss this. We used to do 7 fishes feast. Once a year you saw family. ALL of your family. Obnoxious family. You weren't allowed to miss it! People talked too loud and smoked too much. We all said what we meant, and meant what we said, albeit politely. There were no computers or cell phones. Hell, there wasn't even caller ID or answering machines. So you literally had to blindly answer the phone and talk to people whether you liked them or not ..we'd spread the word of a party or what dive bar everyone was going to.. you'd meet up with everyone and get a ride by anyone who could. You'd cover some gas money and $$ for beer. If you were 14 you'd get into local dives. Nobody cared. And we had SO much fun. AND We DANCED all night! Your mom would say to be home by midnight but you'd get home at 2- 2:30 am. No one worried. You walked in the snow for miles and it was normal. 1983 was the year of MJ thriller, Purple rain, Lionel Richie, Bruce's Born in the USA. This movie reminds me of everything I lived. The good and bad. The obnoxious family especially. This movie took me home. I was raised just over the Ohio line directly west from Allegheny. I'm home here. I'm going to watch this again and again.

A Gentle Movie , Worth A Watch

[martimusross · 6/10 · 17 November 2020]

Feast Of The Seven Fishes

Overall this was an ok movie, the depiction of 1983 reminded up all that the 80's and early 90's were largely miserable times where no one knew how anyone should act with the new social and cultural mores emerging at the time. Young Tony was almost to good to be true but hey its a Christmas movie and the Italian family were totally believable, both warm and fun.

I'm giving this a 6 even though it said it was a comedy and I didn't laugh.

Maybe it's Just Me?

[mammamia701 · 2/10 · 2 January 2021]

When I saw the title, I knew immediately it was going to be about Italian tradition. However, I simply couldn't enjoy the movie. In fact, I didn't even finish it. I've read so many of the positive reviews here. Now I'm wondering what I missed! Sure, being Italian American, I could relate to some of the characters and their behavior. I usually see the humor, but I just didn't. Now I want to rewatch it to see if I wasn't in the right frame of mind. I had a horrible headache and thought a comedy would be a good remedy. If I watch it again, and enjoy it, I will update with another review.

$20,000,000 spent on WHAT?

[gvr5 · 7/10 · 26 November 2023]

OK movie...

I'm 3rd generation Italian - missed out on the 7 fishes, lol.

I'm really curious about the $20,000,000 spent on the film. Seriously? Please, I'd love to know more :) like WTF did you buy?

I don't remember seeing so many guys in any kitchen - but like I said - 3rd generation Italian. I do remember a bunch of old guys hanging out in the mostly finished basement, playing 'fingers', lol. This game was never fully explained to me,

Thin women! Where'd they find them? I can't imagine Nonna being so rude! Anyone ever act like that? I never met my grandparents, but I think that would never happen.

At least there's no Tony Soprano.

Nostalgic, Calm Christmas Vibes...

[PossibleOptimism · 7/10 · 30 November 2023]

Why did I like this so much? It just has this charm that's so hard to describe. From smiling faces to festive seafood dishes, this hidden gem had a lotta heart.

Tony's story had such a mysterious depth, and though some was mentioned, his family-rich Italian environment did much to complete his character.

Beth's character was a breath of fresh air and brought such a grounded youthfulness to the home. Such layered histories and she was able to fit right in naturally.

Sure, there were slow moments. Brief side plots of possible immoralities & substance abuse which makes it not a movie for kids...but these did not derail the film.

It's a calm movie that reminds you of simpler times and surprisingly draws you in-- to Christmas and to the things which matter the most.

One of the BEST Christmas movies I've seen in years.

[cpokarney-75550 · 9/10 · 21 November 2019]

This movie is exactly the type of movie I like. It made me laugh, cry, hungry and nostalgic. Timing the movie for Christmas. Toss in a love story, a warm Italian family, traditions, and friends with multiple sides of garlic and wine then set it in 1983 and I'm in heaven. My Sister my Mom, nieces and nephews all loved this movie. We're buying the DVD when it comes out to make this one of our annual holiday movies.

Hoilday Classic in the making

[dar0417 · 7/10 · 18 December 2019]

Some good acting with solid story telling this plays out like a more modern version of A Christmas Story that takes place in 1983.

Great film any time of the year!

[bohampton · 10/10 · 16 November 2019]

This is an extraordinarily charming movie. It hits all the right buttons and is not cloying or melodramatic. Loved it.

"Understated? A fat guy sneaks into your house and gives your kids presents and you want understated?"

[Popcorn_Media · 5/10 · 23 November 2019]

FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES seems to somewhat meander a lot and tries to focus on more characters than it can handle, however this simple and innocent film has some very touching and well written moments and should fill a couple of hours on a cold Christmassy morning.

Perfect!

[patshaffer-80954 · 10/10 · 30 November 2019]

This movie absolutely nails it! Felt like I was back in 1983 eating dinner in the old neighborhood. So detailed. A new holiday classic!

A story about an Italian culture

[ajepsen · 4/10 · 1 December 2023]

The main story of the movie is the Italian culture of young people back in the day. I came here to look at the cast and see if they were Italian. While many of the actors appeared to be Italian by name it looked like there were random white people in some of the roles. There also appears to be some cultural appropriation of Italian roles filled with random white people of who knows what culture.

Other cultures are at least attributed to the area of the world they come from. You can't look up "white" on a map, while some might not see it there are many different white cultures. Some come from civilized countries and others came from countries frequently at war. The Spaniards, Italians, Germans, French, Russians and Swedes were considered to have "swarthy" complexions compared to "white" people. Cultural appropriation is wrang regardless of what culture you're from.

The movie is kind of slow as they draw out the cultural story which makes me think about the cultural appropriation even more, I had to find something else to speed things up.

OR AS WE CALL IT, "FISHMAS"

[chinchon-50685 · 10/10 · 6 December 2020]

My grandmother was from Calabria, and every Christmas Eve she and my grandfather hosted a raucous, multi-course seafood feast that we call "Fishmas." Only later in life did I discover that not all families did the same. Now, two generations later, I host Fishmas annually.

So you can imagine how excited I was to hear about this movie last month. I watched it, told my entire extended family to watch it, then watched it again. Feast of the Seven Fishes is a fun and fantastic movie that captures the joy, chaos, and decibel-level of Fishmas in the early 1980s, has an absolutely stellar cast, and will leave your heart feeling happy. I love this movie, and the accompanying graphic novel, in a hundred different ways (one of which is that the grandfather "Johnny" looks so much like mine that it's scary). This is my new "It's a Wonderful Life" and will be in annual rotation forever.

So worth the watch!

[bpitzarella · 10/10 · 12 December 2019]

This movie is a must see for those that observe "family traditions" every holiday! It is a movie that will leave you feeling nostalgic, amused and completely in the holiday spirit. It is so well filmed and well acted.

Not a comedy but a great film

[xbatgirl-30029 · 10/10 · 25 December 2022]

I am so glad I watched this on a whim! What a good movie and I'd never heard of it before. However, I noticed many seem to call this a comedy or even a rom-com. Personally I say it's a light-hearted drama. If you go into it expecting those other genres, you may be disappointed.

The movie is so spot on with its depiction of a very specific culture. I had figured it takes place somewhere in Western PA but person said it's Morgantown WV. However it looks exactly like it could be the Allentown-Bethlehem area, near to where I grew up (just across the river in NJ). I felt like I've spent ages in bars or stores just like in the movie, and my friends had houses and cars like the Oliverios. This must be semi-autobiographical for the writer/director because this place is so real.

The whole cast is also so well chosen, right down to the smaller parts. Everyone is well thought out and has their own character and backstory, even if it's unspoken. The only actors I already knew going in were Paul Ben-Victor and Joey Pants. Plus I'd seen Skyler Gisondo as young Shawn on Psych. But watching this, even though it's set in the past, I felt like I was seeing the future of young Hollywood. They're so talented. They all could go on to be very successful.

One of my only quibbles is that I thought there was a time or two in the first part, towards the end of Tony and Beth's first date, where things got a little slow. But once it gets to the next day, the film gets more expansive and vibrant as more of the cast gets woven in. One person described Tony as a little too perfect but I feel it all works as part of a Christmas fable.

I had another quibble that Madison Iseman's hair is directly out of 2019. Eighties set shows that don't actually look like the 80s is a MAJOR pet peeve. I had just started high school in 83 so I know how all these people should look and it's not that. But here it sort of works because it symbolizes what a different world Beth comes from. When she shows up at the end with a side part and more curls than beachy waves, it's like "now she's beginning to fit in." We know without words her character made a big change and it hits just right.

Part of me wants to spend more time with this family and for the story to go on. And it could go on because they are so real. I imagine Angelo and Sarah will be married and have their own family that's a version of the Oliverios. Juke may finally get the girlfriend he yearns for with Katie. It's pretty likely Tony and Beth will go their separate ways as they go off to school, but they would always value their life changing relationship. Because that's real life and not a Hallmark movie. It doesn't make their story any less sweet or less worthy.

This is one movie I'll definitely watch again and I'm spreading the word about it.

Wonderful Movie!

[sonkota · 10/10 · 17 November 2019]

A wonderful surprise of a movie! Glad I decided to watch. A simple Christmas movie without all the bells and whistles. Watch it and I promise you will enjoy!