HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1995 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 5.8
United States, 1995 U.S. Availability: 11/3/95 (wide) Running Length: 1:43 MPAA Classification: PG-13 (Mature themes, profanity) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Holly Hunter, Robert Downey, Jr., Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning, Dylan McDermott, Cynthia Stevenson, Steve Guttenberg, Claire Danes Director: Jodie Foster Producers: Peggy Rajski and Jodie Foster Screenplay: W.D. Richter based on a short story by Chris Radant Cinematography: Lajos Koltal Music: Mark Isham U.S. Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Certain holidays have a greater appeal for film makers than others. Take Christmas, for example--there have been dozens upon dozens of pictures set on and around this late-December observance. Alas, Thanksgiving has not enjoyed the same cinematic exposure. Aside from PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES, few Turkey Day pictures leap to mind. So the field is ripe for a prime entry. With Jodie Foster in the director's chair and Holly Hunter in the lead, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS looked like a likely candidate to help fill the vacancy. Unfortunately, this film ends up more like stuffing than meat.
As dramatic comedies go, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS is highly uneven. In general, the humor works pretty well, even if it is often of the cruel sort. Foster's film offers its fair share of laughs, although most come at the expense of "easy mark" characters. Dramatically, however, the movie is only a step up from a flop. It's difficult connecting with these oddball personalities, who all seem like refugees from David Lynch's version of middle America. And, with no emotional link, who really cares whether one person or another overcomes their problems?
Holly Hunter plays Claudia Larson, an art restoration expert who has just lost her job. After sharing a passionate lip-lock with her boss (Austin Pendleton), she heads to the airport for a Thanksgiving trip home to Baltimore. In the car on the way, her daughter (Claire Danes), who is remaining behind in Chicago, informs Claudia that she intends to lose her virginity in the next few days. What can a mom say to that except "use protection"?
After a plane trip spent sitting next to someone who won't shut up, Claudia arrives at her childhood home. There, one-by-one, she meets the entire weird crew. First up are her mother, Adele (Anne Bancroft), and father, Henry (Charles Durning), who are getting ready for the holiday. Then there's the family's black sheep, Tommy (Robert Downing Jr.), who arrives in the middle of the night with a friend (Dylan McDermott) in tow. Next is Aunt Glady (Geraldine Chaplin), a spinster who wears Froot Loops necklaces. Finally, there's Claudia's baby sister, Joanne (Cynthia Stevenson), who acts like a petulant martyr. Of course, when all of these people sit down for dinner, disaster occurs.
With the exception of Robert Downey Jr (CHAPLIN), who spends the whole movie over-the-top, the acting is fine. Holly Hunter (THE PIANO, COPYCAT) gets the most out of her role, and Cynthia Stevenson (THE PLAYER) does some nice things with a thinly-scripted part. The problem is, most of these characters are written as offbeat weirdos just for the sake of having a bunch of oddballs. Take a look at Nora Ephron's MIXED NUTS to see what a mistake that is. Also, so much effort is put into distancing the audience from the film's population (so the jokes won't seem too mean-spirited) that when we're required to sympathize with them for dramatic purposes, it doesn't work.
At the center of all the chaos is Claudia, who has reached an emotional crisis. The film's solution is to give her a love interest, even though there's no obvious chemistry between Hunter and McDermott. In the end, we could care less whether they get together. And that's the problem with most of HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS--we don't care enough about what's happening. Aside from a few effective, low-key scenes, the movie doesn't involve the viewer.
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS astutely observes that no matter how much one hates Thanksgiving, Christmas is always around the corner for a repeat of the "festivities." If it's all the same, one holiday is more than enough with this group.
- James Berardinelli (jberardinell@delphi.com)
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