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The Thing About My Folks Review: The pluralization in this movie's title is a little misleading. It could have been called The Thing About My Folk -- or maybe The Thing About My Falk -- since Peter Falk's father character has the majority of the screen time in this Paul Reiser vehicle, written and produced by the comedian. It's the right choice, as Reiser and Falk have a fun time playing off each other on the father-son road trip that comprises most of the running time. However, it does contribute to a sense of narrative imbalance, and the late introduction of Olympia Dukakis as the other "folk" sends the third act off in a direction that wasn't necessarily previewed by the first two. But it's hardly worth quibbling over a few structural miscues in what is otherwise a sweet and surprisingly substantive film. Reiser's chattiness as a performer comes across clearly in his writing, but it's not empty chattiness. In The Thing About My Folks, it's easy to see Reiser grappling with issues from his own family history during conversations that aren't afraid to psychoanalyze the small details. What's more, they come across as natural rather than stagy, due in large part to the seemingly effortless folksy professionalism of Falk, and some pretty decent chops from Reiser, who has spent much of his career on stage and in sitcoms. This is not to say that any ground is being broken. Stories about kvetching New Yorkers testing their family bonds are hardly new, especially for Reiser, who has essentially made this the focus of his body of work. But The Thing About My Folks is the type of film that allows there to be comfort in familiarity. The lessons on how to avoid relationship mistakes -- or compensate for them after the fact -- are also timeless. Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide

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