I've tried a few times to make this a movie a thing at Thanksgiving time, because there aren't a ton of turkey day themed films that I want to watch every year. There are just too many flaws here to try and make it work. I think everyone can relate to the chaos and dysfunction that the holidays bring, but there's also supposed to be some fun thrown in there as well (but where was it?). I've never seen a film try to be so serious and slapstick at the same time...like two genres of film fighting each other for dominance.
As others have pointed out here, there's no one really that likable to care about or root for. They're all so odd and not in a goofy or lovable way. Something is off and unrealistic about the dialogue between the characters, except interestingly enough, the aunt who is losing her marbles (her monologue at the dinner table is a rare moment of calm and relatability). This should have been a home run template: home for the holidays is a universal theme for most. The casting is pretty good, and the setting is cozy. It should have worked, but it didn't.
Side note: what is up with Claire Danes being the outlier in holiday movies?!
As others have pointed out here, there's no one really that likable to care about or root for. They're all so odd and not in a goofy or lovable way. Something is off and unrealistic about the dialogue between the characters, except interestingly enough, the aunt who is losing her marbles (her monologue at the dinner table is a rare moment of calm and relatability). This should have been a home run template: home for the holidays is a universal theme for most. The casting is pretty good, and the setting is cozy. It should have worked, but it didn't.
Side note: what is up with Claire Danes being the outlier in holiday movies?!