Week-end en famille

Plot In A Paragraph: 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, Claudia Larson (Holly Hunter) has to face spending the holiday with her family.

Director Jodie Foster has assembled a ridiculously talented cast Holly Hunter, Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning (Whom I love, and am a big fan of) Robert Downey Jr, Dylan McDermott, Steve Guttenberg, Geraldine Chaplin, Claire Danes and Austin Pendleton.

However Robert Downey Jr steals this movie from a very talented cast. As Tommy, Larson's gay brother. Although Downey Jr has admitted to regularly using heroin during the filming of this movie, it is not affected performance one bit. Listening to director Jodie Foster on the commentary track on the DVD, it would appear that Downey Jr was a pain to work with the times, as he kept improvising and going off on a whim. So I'm not sure who the praise should be aimed at Downey Jr for being able to give a good performance during such a troubled time in his life, or Foster for getting the performance out of him!!

I love this movie!! I watch it again and again it is so very funny. Holly Hunter is hysterical and so is her nutty family!!! I have to watch it every thanksgiving! I just love it!! My favorite part of the movie is when Tommy Larson played by Robert Downey Jr. comes home and wakes his family. we laugh until we cry. I think it is a really funny movie . I think every one can relate to having an off the wall relative like Aunt Gladys. If you are looking for a movie that is funny and all about family this is good for a laugh. The family is funny and real I have a sister just like Joanne. The overall movie is just simply funny and to laugh at them as a family is to laugh at your self.

This is a great little gem of a film. The whole time i was watching this film i couldn't help but notice the similarities to my family. The craziness, the fights i mean everything. I laughed so hard during this film but mostly when Robert Downey Jr. was on screen. It is not to say that Holly Hunter was bad, she was quite good as was everyone else but Downey had this presense on the screen and he just stole the movie. while it was apparent he was using heavily he was still at his best on screen. The DVD commentary by Jodie Foster really gives insight to the film and it really sounds like Downey was a pain to work with because of his improvising everything but you feel she has a genuine sisterly love for him. Bottom line is that it was a funny, insightful, and realistic film.

This film, when stripped of all its humour, cover-ups and bravado, is one of the saddest stories put to film in recent years. The line that strikes me the most is nearing the end, when Claudia and Leo go to Joanne's to return her Tupperware. The dialogue goes as such:

Claudia: You don't know the first thing about me, Joanne. Nothing.

Joanne: Likewise, I'm sure. [pause] If I just met you on the street, if you gave me your phone number, I'd throw it away.

Ouch. If either of my sisters said that to me I'd have to hurt them. This is a touching, heartfelt film, and I adore it.

Review Date 6/27/2019

I have Reviewed OVER 500 "Christmas Films and Specials". Please BEWARE Of films and specials with just one review! For instance When "It's a POSITIVE" chances are that the reviewer was involved with the production. "If its Negative" then they may have a grudge against the film for whatever reason. I am fare about these films.

All families go through transitions. Parents are getting older. Siblings resentment and how we all kind go through the motions of life without realizing seeing what is front of our own eyes.

In this film every year, Claudia (Holly Hunter) dreads her trip home for Thanksgiving. Between her parents (Charles Durning and Anne Bancroft), her sardonic brother (Robert Downey Jr.) and her overdramatic sister (Cynthia Stevenson), things are bad enough. But this year, Claudia has more reason for angst. She's lost her job and is dealing with her daughter's (Claire Danes) revelation about her sexual activities. Claudia's sister seems to think her brother and sister ran out of town leaving her stuck to take care of their aging parents.

Lots of laughs and a reality check for everyone.