Home for the Holidays (1995)

Well it’s that time of year again, no we aren’t talking about post general election hangover, we are referring to that annual culinary and quintessentially American Bacchanalia where we stuff ourselves to the gills with too many carbs, too much gravy, and bad football (the American variety).

Yes kids, it’s Thanksgiving. This little tale written by Chris Radant, and brought to the screen by Jodie Foster as her second work as director, is one of two films we’ll cover in November that are Turkey Day-centric. Featuring lovely performances by an ensemble cast:

Charles Durning, legendary Anne Bancroft, Robert Downey Jr., Geraldine Chaplin —with great supporting performances by Steve Guttenberg, and at the time, somewhat “new faces” Dylan McDermott and David Strathairn. The film is a great amuse-bouche to prepare our listeners for the unavoidable annoyances, absurdities, and grievances served alongside the turkey. While we can’t always pick our family, we can certainly choose how, and to what extent we get sucked up into the madness at the dinner table. Take what dishes appeal to you (feed the rest to the dog). Sam and I offer our strategies for survival at the end of the episode, or as the saying goes in the film,“just float” —and don’t forget to pass the gravy.