Something to Watch During Your Food Coma

Thanksgiving movies, just like the whole Thanksgiving season, tend to get elbowed out by the the bigger, more bankable Christmas movies. And it's a shame, because the genre has produced some of the most touching and interesting examinations of American families in cinema.

My favorite Thanksgiving movie, and one of my favorite movies of all time, is Jodie Foster's directorial debut, Home for the Holidays. Holly Hunter plays Claudia Larson, a struggling art restoration expert and single mom who lives in Chicago with her smart and mature daughter, Kitt (Claire Danes). Claudia's life falls apart somewhat right before she leaves to spend Thanksgiving with her family in Baltimore: she gets laid off from her job, comes down with a horrendous head cold, makes out with her boss, and learns that Kitt, who is spending Thanksgiving with her boyfriend's family, plans to ditch her virginity while her mom is away. To top it all off, she loses her coat at the airport and has to borrow one of her mom's poofy 80s monstrosities when she arrives in Maryland.

All of this doesn't help to bolster Claudia's mood. She loves her family fiercely, but her parents are a tad neurotic, her brother (Robert Downey Jr.) is being weirdly secretive about his long-term relationship with a guy named Jack and shows up with some guy named Leo, her sister is obsessed with suburban perfection, and her aunt is crazy and has a taste for cheap wine.

As I'm sure you can imagine, some hijinks ensue. But at the heart of the movie is a very touching portrayal of how we can love and be related to people without ever having a clue about who they are or why they do the things they do. Plus, all of the acting is superb, particularly by Robert Downey Jr. Downey was in the depths of his drug addiction at the time, but still turns in a hilarious and ultimately touching performance. There are some holes in the plot development, but I find them easy to overlook, especially during moments like this:

A quick Google search for Thanksgiving movies will take you to a few lists. This one was particularly helpful. Hannah and Her Sisters and Planes, Trains, and Automobiles will help you bask in post-turkey glow, while The House of Yes and The Ice Storm will give you a reason to finish that jug of wine. Don't get me wrong, they're both excellent movies, just kind of...depressing and weird.