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 | Home for the Holidays (1995) a must-see film |
| Summary | A family reunites at Thanksgiving and everyone finds that they can't hide their problems. |
| Genre | Dark Comedy |
| Direction | Jodie Foster |
| Downey Factor | Medium. After his character is introduced, his screen time is steady until almost the end. |
| Character | Tommy Larson, the ultimately harmless brother who likes to stir up trouble |
| Looks | Mmm mmm good. |
| Performance | He strikes all the right chords with this one. Good balance of comedy and drama. |
| Love & Sex | real-life pal Sam Slovick / they speak on the phone, but only appear on-screen together once |
| Dies, Gay or Villain | No. Yes. No. |
| Other Actors | Holly Hunter, Claire Danes, Anne Bancroft, Dylan McDermott, Steve Guttenberg, Charles Durning, Geraldine Chaplin, David Strathairn |
| Connection | David Strathairn in Good Night & Good Luck. Geraldine Chaplin in Chaplin. |
| Location | Baltimore |
| RDJ Says | When I saw this film, I thought: Well, maybe I am a bit of an artist, in the same way that maybe Warhol was an artist. Because he did something innovative and he had a good sense of humor ... That was one of my favorite movies, ever. Practically every take of that film was a print ... [The movie] was a real turning point, personally. I play the healthiest person in the family ... [it] wasn't much of a stretch for me, either. I have dozens of gay friends ... That was one of the most relaxed performances in the history of film ... I'm not saying I wouldn't have had a relaxed performance [without using heroin], I'm saying if you came into my trailer when I wasn't working I might have been constructing a large eighth scale model of the space shuttle and I had lots of "projects" going on in the room. That was the first time I was [high on a movie set] ... Anyone who's been around in the industry on the other side of the cameras as long as [Jodie Foster] is probably more well-equipped to direct or to understand how important the attitude of the dirctor is than most directors, because I think for the most part, actors do a lot more films than directors do. She's the goods. She's it, as far as I'm concerned. [Jodie Foster] is an amazing director. She's really specific, and really nurturing. It was the first time I ever worked with a female director, but I think it was her personality more than anything else. She just had a kind of ease about the way she directed, like, "Hey, I know what I'm doing and I expect that you do, too. I did hire you, and I knew what I was doing when I hired you, so relax, and like very few things goes wrong." |
| Lit Reference | Home for the Holidays and Other Calamaties by Chris Radant Although this was the inspiration for the film, many character quirks that appear in the film were added by the screenwriter with suggestions from the director, cast, and crew. Among these added character traits are the mother's puzzles, the father's car-washing, and Tommy's sexuality. |
| Release | November 3, 1995 |
| Availability | Available on video in NTSC format. Out of print in PAL. Released on DVD in Region 1 and 4 |
| Foreign Titles | Argentina: Feriados en Familia (Holidays with the Family) Brazil: Feriados em Família (Holidays with the Family) China: The Annoying Family (English translation) Croatia: Kuæi Za Praznike (Home for the Holiday) Denmark: Hjemme er bedst (Home is Best) Finland: Joululoma France: Week-end en famille (Weekend in Family) Germany: Familienfest und Andere Schwierigkeiten (Family celebration and other difficulties) Israel: A Family Vacation (English translation) Italy: A Casa Per Le Vacanze (Home for Vacation) Poland: Wakacje w Domu (Vacation Within) Spain: A casa por vacaciones (Home for Vacation) Sweden: Hemma är Bäst (Home is Best) |
| Rotten Tomatoes | 71% Fresh | 28 Reviews |
| Critical View | Emanuel Levy, Variety: Adding another colorful role to his already striking gallery, Downey shines -- his multinuanced portrayal of a gay man is notably unstereotypical. Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The story of Tommy, the gay brother, provides a counterpoint to the mainline madness. Foster and her writer, W. D. Richter, do not commit the mistake of making his character be about homosexuality. He is gay, but what defines him for the family is more his quasi-obnoxious personality, his way of picking on his boring brother-in-law, his practical jokes, his wounding insights, and finally his own concealed romanticism. Downey brings out all the complexities of a character who has used a quick wit to keep the world's hurts at arm's length. |
| 2 Reasons to See It | 1. He's very funny and dramatic, and manages to look pretty good throughout. 2. It's one of his favorite movies. |
| Overall | This is certainly not a feel-good film, however, his physical appearance and acting are both at their finest. A must-see. |
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