Home for the Holidays (1995)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Jodie Foster

Writers (WGA):

Chris Radant (short story)
W.D. Richter (screenplay)

Release Date:

3 November 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

On the fourth Thursday in November, 84 million American families will gather together... And wonder why.

Plot:

After losing her job, making out with her soon to be ex-boss, and finding out that her daughter plans to spend Thanksgiving with her boyfriend...

Plot Keywords:

Thanksgiving | Holiday | Farting | Family Relationships | Christmas

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Holly Hunter	...	Claudia Larson
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Tommy Larson
Anne Bancroft	...	Adele Larson
Charles Durning	...	Henry Larson
Dylan McDermott	...	Leo Fish
Geraldine Chaplin	...	Aunt Glady
Steve Guttenberg	...	Walter Wedman
Cynthia Stevenson	...	Joanne Larson Wedman
Claire Danes	...	Kitt Larson
Emily Ann Lloyd	...	Brittany Lace Wedman
Zack Duhame	...	Walter Wedman Jr.
Austin Pendleton	...	Peter Arnold
David Strathairn	...	Russell Terziak
Amy Yasbeck	...	Ginny Johnson Drewer
James Lecesne	...	Ron Drewer

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic material, language and brief drug use.

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG-13 (certificate #34076) | Australia:M | Canada:PG | Finland:S | Germany:12 (w) | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Baltimore Museum of Art - 10 Art Museum Drive, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company:

Egg Pictures

Trivia:

Robert Downey Jr. publicly admitted to using heroin during the making of this film. Jodie Foster wrote him a letter praising his work but warning him that he could not keep doing this on other films.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Claudia is saying goodbye to her daughter in the car outside the Chicago airport, all the cars driving by have Maryland plates because the shot was actually filmed at BWI in Maryland.

Quotes:

Claudia: Nobody means what they say on Thanksgiving, Mom. You know that. That's what the day's supposed to be all about, right? Torture.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Will & Grace: Homo for the Holidays (#2.7)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Theme from Shaft

Underrated, underviewed.

People either love or hate this film. It seems to me that, for those who hate it, there is too much going on in the scenes. The dialogue is often open ended, and the action is at times frenetic so that the viewer isn't sure where he/she should be focusing attention. That, I submit, is the true beauty of this unusual movie. It has an over the top realism that makes it a rewarding film to watch multiple times. There are so many layers in the dialogue and the acting, so many subtleties between characters, that you can watch it many times and still be noticing something new. This may be billed a comedy, but it is filled with heartbreak and tragedy, betrayal and disappointments. This is not a run of the mill feel good holiday movie. I think those who rate this movie poorly, in some way, miss that. I hope Jodie Foster directs again. She's immensely gifted.