Synopsis
After losing her job, making out with her soon-to-be former boss, and finding out that her daughter plans to spend Thanksgiving with her boyfriend, Claudia Larson faces spending the holiday with her unhinged family.
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Cast
- Holly HunterClaudia Larson
- Robert Downey Jr.Tommy Larson
- Anne BancroftAdele Larson
- Charles DurningHenry Larson
- Dylan McDermottLeo Fish
- Geraldine ChaplinAunt Glady
- Steve GuttenbergWalter Wedman
- Cynthia StevensonJoanne Larson Wedman
- Claire DanesKitt Larson
- Emily Ann LloydBrittany Lace
Recommendations
- 100
San Francisco Chronicle
Home for the Holidays strikes such a perfect note that it's hard at first to realize what an impressive balancing act it is. - 88
Chicago Sun-Times
Foster directs the film with a sure eye for the revealing little natural moment. - 75
Rolling Stone
Foster keeps the party hopping, although more dark humor would have helped before she winds it down with sentiment and bromides. - 75
San Francisco Examiner
Foster has whipped the actors into the sort of comic frenzy usually reserved for farce, and the ready-for-anything energy serves the material well. - 60
The New York Times
Ms. Foster and the screenwriter, W. D. Richter, have given this film some peculiar mood swings, so that it starts out zanily and winds down to a wistful note. - 60
Empire
There are few surprises on offer here; the comedy is engaging without ever being side-splitting, the dramatic conflict convinces without going overboard, and the denouement, feelgood as it is, can be spotted a long way in the distance. - 50
Austin Chronicle
Overall, the movie stresses the more painful and awkward moments; moments that might be classified as "heartwarming" are rare. This results in a very cynical tone and I suspect that was not the desired effect. - 50
ReelViews
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.
