Search - Home for the Holidays

It's been said that while most people love their families, they don't always like them very much, and that emotional dividing line is the heart of this comedy directed by Jodie Foster. Claudia Larson (Holly Hunter) usually approaches family reunions with a certain trepidation, but as she prepares to fly from her home in Chicago to her parent's place in Baltimore for Thanksgiving, she is more apprehensive than usual. Claudia has just lost her job, she's not feeling at all well, and her teenage daughter, Kitt (Claire Danes), who is staying behind, informs Claudia on the way to the airport that she plans to use the weekend to lose her virginity with her boyfriend. The family festivities are already under way when Claudia arrives at the home of her mother, Adele (Anne Bancroft), and father, Henry (Charles Durning). Claudia's brother, Tommy (Robert Downey Jr.), whose homosexuality is tolerated without being discussed on a practical basis, has brought along his new friend Leo Fish (Dylan McDermott). Tommy doesn't get along well with his fussbudget sister, Joanne (Cynthia Stevenson), who wears her self-sacrifice like a badge of honor, and he simply hates her husband, Walter (Steve Guttenberg), who has often been the target of Tommy's barbed sense of humor. While the siblings and in-laws struggle to remain civil, their quite eccentric aunt Gladys (Geraldine Chaplin) arrives; she insists on discussing her digestive problems, and after a few drinks, she confesses her long-ago lust for Henry. Home for the Holidays was Jodie Foster's second film as a director, and the first in which she didn't also star. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Holly Hunter - Claudia Larson
Robert Downey, Jr. - Tommy Larson
Anne Bancroft - Adele Larson
Charles Durning - Henry Larson
Geraldine Chaplin - Aunt Glady

Jodie Foster's humorous portrayal of an odd dysfunctional family coming together for Thanksgiving dinner should strike a chord with anyone who has ever weathered the holidays -- and survived. =Home for the Holidays features a very nice 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen presentation that sports vivid colors, solid flesh tones, and even black levels. Although there is a small amount of grain and dirt in certain scenes, overall this is a very nice looking transfer from MGM. No edge enhancement or shimmer was spotted throughout the feature. The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 (as well as Dolby 2.0 Surround in French) and sounds very good. Since this is a dialogue-driven film, surround effects were not aggressive, though there were moments when all speakers were engaged. Dialogue, effects, and Mark Isham's comedic score all shine clearly and concisely. Also included on this disc are French and Spanish subtitles.
Much like Jodie Foster's directing debut =Little Man Tate, =Home for the Holidays includes a commentary track by the director. Jodie Foster tends to be very lively and talkative throughout this track, making it enjoyable and enlightening for the viewer. Also included on this disc is an original theatrical trailer for Home for the Holidays. This DVD may not be heavy in the supplements department, but it should be filling enough for any fan of disastrous family comedies. ~ Patrick Naugle, All Movie Guide

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