7 films remind us of how gettogethers can go sideways.
7 movies remind us that gathering with family for holidays can be hard to take
Now that the election is over and decided (well, for some of us), it’s time to relax and celebrate the holidays. After such a dreadful 2020, we can breathe a collective sigh of relief, throw on some soft pants with expandable waistbands, gather with our loved ones and stuff our faces with gobs of turkey and goopy cranberry sauce.
Except, thanks to the COVID19 pandemic, we can’t do that this year. For the first time in perhaps ever, Grandma and Grandpa might dine alone.
But before we all get too maudlin, let’s think back on what some of our past Thanksgiving meals have really been like.
In honor of throwing a spotlight on longheld grudges and airing dirty laundry, here are seven movies that remind us of what we’re “missing” this Thanksgiving.
“Home for the Holidays” (1995): Perhaps the campiest on this list, this film directed by Jodie Foster stars a reliable Holly Hunter as Claudia Larson, a single mother recently fired from her job as an art restorer, who returns home to Mom and Dad’s after her daughter (an instantly recognizable Claire Danes circa “My SoCalled Life”) announces she’s spending Thanksgiving with her boyfriend. Mayhem ensues, including Aunt Glady’s boozy outbursts, some good oldfashioned wrestling on the lawn and the infamous bastedturkeyontheloose moment. Predictable, yet still chuckleworthy in a ’90s sort of way, the movie’s cast is the reason to watch here, with Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning, Dylan McDermott and Robert Downey Jr. as the gay brother rounding out the bunch.
Watch it: Stream on Hulu.
“The House of Yes” (1997): There’s a reason why Parker Posey has a cult following. Her sly wit, quirky personality and knack for comedic timing are unrivaled in the movie biz. In this black comedy set in 1983, she plays the Jackie Kennedyobsessed, recently deinstitutionalized yet still wonderfully batty twin sister of Marty ( Josh Hamilton), who brings his chirpy fiancee, Lesly (Tori Spelling), home to meet the family for Thanksgiving. By the end of the event, it’s glaringly clear Marty and Lesly won’t ever make it to the altar, let alone through the night. (Did I mention the twins’ borderline incestuous relationship?) Don’t pay attention to the poor ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. This one’s a hoot.
Watch it: Available to rent on various services, including Vudu.
“The Ice Storm” (1997): Rich people in Connecticut obsessing over rich people problems? Sounds like a snore (or an irritant, given the class divide in this county), but this unsettling movie is one of Ang Lee’s (“Life of Pi,” “Brokeback Mountain”) best. Set in November 1973 amid the backdrop of Watergate and the advent of key parties, it stars Kevin Kline, a frustrated businessman who is cheating on his icy, neurotic wife ( Joan Allen) with his hottotrot married neighbor (Sigourney Weaver). Meanwhile, their kids (an adorably sullen Christina Ricci and a doeeyed Tobey McGuire) are exploring their changing bodies and illicit substances. An unexpected tragedy occurs, and the characters' subtle transformations, each desperate and unsettling in their own way, reveal the film’s underlying depth.
Watch it: Available to rent on various services, including YouTube.
“Pieces of April” (2003): If you’ve ever lived in a cramped shoebox apartment and had more than one person over for dinner, only to have everything go spectacularly wrong, this movie is for you. Set in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, a lovingly goth April (Katie Holmes) invites her semiestranged family, including her breastcancerridden mother (a perfect Patricia Clarkson), in from the burbs to meet her Black boyfriend (Derek Luke) for Thanksgiving dinner. The oven doesn’t work. April can’t cook. Thankfully, her wellintentioned neighbors come to the rescue. All in all, it’s one to add to your Thanksgiving canon, that is if you can overlook the subplot involving the shady (not actually shady) boyfriend, which mines illformed stereotypes and probably wouldn’t fly today.
Watch it: Stream on Amazon Prime Video.
“Krisha” (2015): Writerdirector Trey Edward Shults (“Waves”) made his directorial debut with this lowbudget indie drama that stars members of his reallife family and takes place in his parents’ Texas home. His aunt Krisha Fairchild takes on the titular role of a recovering alcoholic who relapses during Thanksgiving dinner with her estranged relatives to disastrous effect. The story of the hellacious family gathering and Krisha’s character was inspired by Shults’ cousin, who died from a drug overdose. If that all sounds a little brutal, it is — but it’s still riveting to watch. Also telling: Shults got his start at 18 as an intern working with Terrence Malick on “The Tree of Life.”
Watch it: Stream on Showtime.
“August: Osage County” (2014): Watching Meryl Streep come completely unhinged? What other reason do you need to watch a movie? Adapted from a Tony and Pulitzer Prizewinning play written by Tracy Letts, this gnawing flick chronicles a dysfunctional family’s twisted attempts to mourn after the family patriarch (Sam Shepard) commits suicide. It doesn’t take place on Thanksgiving. Still, the scenes of the Westons and their significant others (played by Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper, Abigail Breslin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Juliette Lewis, Margo Martindale, Dermot Mulroney and
Julianne Nicholson) sitting around a table, trashing each other while gorging on scrumptious food and delectable wine, meant I couldn’t exclude it.
Watch it: Stream on Hulu.
“The Farewell” (2019): This heartfelt drama isn’t about Thanksgiving either. It also isn’t about alcoholism gone off the rails, or even incest. Instead, it’s a refreshingly intimate portrait of the steps family members take to protect the ones they love. Created by writerdirector Lulu Wang and based on a true story, the film stars the impeccably cast Awkwafina as Chinaborn, U.S.raised Billi, who returns to Changchun in the guise of attending a wedding. The real truth? Her beloved grandmother, Nai Nai, has been given weeks to live, and the family has decided not to tell her. In addition to being heartwarming, its meal scenes are some of the best ever.
Watch it: Stream on Amazon Prime Video.
Alexis Burling’s reviews have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Oregonian. Email: books@ sfchronicle.com