Feast of the Seven Fishes - A Movie Review

Christmas is a time to celebrate with everyone.

Feast of the Seven Fishes was welcomed to theaters in 2019. Tony, a young Italian-American introduces his new girlfriend Beth to his lively, bickering family’s Italian Christmas traditions. Amid cultural clashes and family antics, the pair navigate love and self-discovery.

This is one of those holiday films that highlights the importance of family during the holidays. Why are there so many underrated holiday films? Feast of the Seven Fishes confronts conflicts in families, delicious Italian meals, and a lot of bickering.

Feast of the Seven Fishes has a great cast. Skyler Gisondo plays Tony, a young kid who wants to get through the holidays and impress his crush. He’s a timid kid, but he’ll stand up for himself and others.

Madison Iseman is the best performance. She conducts her character with a mature demeanor. Beth isn’t given enough liberties but is open-minded in learning about a new culture. All the interactions Beth shares with the family are sweet. Like her character, Iseman also learned a lot about Italian cultural holidays.

As the rest of Tony’s family, Paul Ben-Victor, Jean Zarzour, Andrew Schulz, Lynn Cohen, Joe Pantolioano, and Ray Abruzzo felt like a genuine Italian family talking over each other. They made this family feel real. What’s important is how much they care about each other. The scenes that made me crack up the most are when the siblings talk about their very old mother.

Tony's family is preparing for the titular Feast of the Seven Fishes, a traditional Christmas Eve meal featuring an extravagant spread of seafood dishes, such as calamari and shrimp. Be warned, you shouldn’t watch this movie on an empty stomach. The plates of delicious food become an unexpected character with how often it's given screentime. Food is a delicacy in any family, but for the Italian culture, there’s a rich history to its delicacy.

For Robert Tinnell, Feast of the Seven Fishes was a passion project. He skillfully captures the chaotic beauty of an Italian-American household, where love and arguments are often indistinguishable. This film gives a positive recognition of Italian culture. We need more holiday films like these because nobody’s Christmas is the same.

He was also raised in an Italian family and the story rings true to his upbringing. The film wasn’t put on its feet that easily because the film industry doubted he could tell the story. Tinnell, however, proved them wrong, making a film that centers on a loving family relationship. Films where families constantly bicker get tiring.

Filming happened in West Virginia, the town Tinnell grew up in. The house in the film belonged to his grandparents. Some of Tinnell’s most fond memories take place in the kitchen, “The memories you create in (cooking food) are the most important to me.”

The film resides around themes of growth and tradition. It explores the family’s culture and dynamics, but one element that should not go unnoticed is standing up for yourself. Both Tony and Beth learn to defend themselves.

In the last five years since the release of this picture, Christmas has been different. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic families couldn’t get together for their traditional holidays. I have learned to appreciate the holiday more and being together with my family.

Feast of the Seven Fishes contains a little bit of everything. It’s a comedy, romance, and family film. A lot of moments had me laughing. Whether you're Italian-American or simply someone who cherishes family and good food, this film is a must-watch for the holidays.