This is hardly going to come as a surprise to anyone, but the legend that is Robert De Niro has taken his foot of the acting gas for a number of years. Some might say that he’s even jumped in the backseat with no-one at the wheel that is his career. A tad unkind, but difficult to argue against all the same.

Cinema Paridiso’s Giuseppe Tornatore directed the Italian original ( Stanno Tutti Bene) in 1990. Helming this US version is Brit Kirk Jones, and despite only two other films under his director’s belt (Waking Ned, Nanny McPhee), he shows more promise here.

For most people, being in the same room as a lot of family members can be quite the ordeal. For Frank Goode (De Niro) however, it’s all he really wants. Since his wife died, all Frank has left are his four grown-up children.

With the family all coming together for the holidays, Frank is more than a little giddy with excitement at the prospect of everyone all under the same roof. One by one though, his children cancel, leaving him with far more bottles of plonk than he cares for, as well as a heavy heart.

Are you looking at me? No seriously, are you?!

Frank then decides that if his family can’t make it to him, he’ll go off on a quite an extensive road trip and visit them all one by one. First stop is New York, but he soon discovers that his son isn’t home. He then moves on to his successful daughter Amy (Kate Beckinsale), his son Robert (Sam Rockwell) – who is a conductor for an orchestra, and finally the Vegas dancer Rosie (Drew Barrymore).

His trip is a map of revelations. The main thing he learns though is that his late wife didn’t always tell him the truth about what his children were up to, as he comes face to face with their realities with each visit. Along the way though, secrets on all sides rise to the surface, revealing a family that’s far from fine.

In the wrong hands, this could have easily turned into a mess of a family comedy/drama. Thankfully Jones keeps quite close to the original source material, making this a completely bittersweet experience. There’s no sign of any Hollywood gloss; instead, we’re given a refreshingly earthy view of a middle class family trying to protect its patriarch from some painful truths.

De Niro puts on the kind of performance that will remind audiences once again of his phenomenal talent. His portrayal of Frank has to be one of his most heartfelt performances to date, full of subtle emotional nuances.

There’s great support from Beckinsale, Rockwell and Barrymore too, who all deliver an honest gravitas in their respective roles.

The film could easily be dismissed as lightweight family drama; and yes at times, you’d be forgiven for thinking that it was little more than a heavyweight made-for-tv drama. However, it really is more substantial than that; its family tree would ultimately reveal it as being a road movie with a tank-full of heart.

A word of warning to those of a hardened emotional disposition: you might find that rock hard string to your heart tugged once or twice, or even something inexplicably in your eye at times. Yes, de Niro is that good.