21 Thanksgiving Movies About Broken Families Like Yours
Perhaps your family is balanced, open and cool, and your holiday gatherings bring you real joy. For the rest of us, it’s difficult—which doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad thing. But this is also, you know, not good .
America is so deeply divided right now that probably no one person has the same idea about how best to celebrate a holiday like Thanksgiving. In movies, as in life, some people are often excluded from Thanksgiving narratives—the indigenous peoples of North America, for example—and that’s all before we get to family dynamics. Meetings held under pressure tend to bring old grievances to the surface and are also an opportune time to discuss topics that are best mentioned in person, making them a great time for people to speak up.
My own Thanksgiving role is that of the weird, drama-averse cousin who doesn’t show up, leaving me plenty of time and emotional space for holiday movies. Here are 21 Thanksgiving movies about dysfunctional families that make me feel better about my own.
Pieces of April (2003)
Katie Holmes strikes a blow for post -Dawson’s Creek , pre-Tom Cruise respectability with this low-key indie comedy about a young loser who invites her ex-family to her tiny New York City apartment for Thanksgiving, determined to prove to them that she’s not the freak her frail, disapproving mother (Patricia Clarkson, Oscar-nominated for this) thinks she’s role). Anyone who has kids they don’t like or parents who disappoint them (that’s everyone) will appreciate the effort both parties make—even if begrudgingly—to be together during the “holiday” time of year. Stream Pieces of April on MUBI or rent on Prime Video .
What is cooking? (2000)
Although it sometimes gets bogged down in melodrama (which is where all the nasty family stuff comes in), this well-acted comedy-drama captures the sense of plurality that Americans bring to holidays like Thanksgiving. While movies and television often portray the similarities of traditions, the fact remains that every culture, subculture, and family that celebrates this holiday brings its own traditions and baggage to the holiday. What is cooking? features four ethnically and culturally diverse families (Latino, Vietnamese, Jewish and African American… plus a lesbian couple in the cast) celebrating Thanksgiving together, with each bringing different treats (and family drama) to the proceedings. You can stream What’s Cooking on Freevee and Starz.
Ice Storm (1997)
Travel back to 1973 in Ang Lee’s classic Thanksgiving production, where gatherings for the annual dinner reveal dark secrets about the lives of two families in a quiet, picture-perfect suburb. The food gives way to a key party (just ask your grandparents) during the holiday weekend, which, if it caught on, could lead to swinging and group sex with neighbors becoming as much of a holiday tradition as green bean casserole. Alas. The Ice Storm is not streaming, but you can rent it on Prime Video .
Addams Family Values (1993)
Tell me what you like about the Addams Family (come on! They don’t care); they’re one of the most loving and supportive families in pop culture, and honestly, I’d rather spend Thanksgiving dinner with them than with my own family. However, the holiday reference here is not to food, but to the national mythology around which the holiday is built. When camp counselors make the mistake of inviting Wednesday and Pugsley to take part in the season’s play, they turn it into a fiery Indigenous revenge fantasy. Having white kids playing Native Americans does little for Native representation, but at least the film doesn’t glorify early contact. The Addamses definitely screwed up, but they’re doing better than most of us. You can stream Addams Family Values on Paramount+ or rent it on Prime Video .
Les Bombs (2018)
A charming, if lesser-known, suburban comedy about the very interesting experience of trying to speak at a family gathering with mixed results. Jenna Laurenzo writes, directs and stars as Lauren, who is ready to introduce her girlfriend to the family at Thanksgiving… until her male roommate shows up and everyone believes he’s her boyfriend.
Where to watch: Peacock, Tubi, Kanopy, Pluto, digital rental .
Thanksgiving (2023)
This creepy, satirical Thanksgiving-themed slasher film from director Eli Roth opens with one of those early-morning Black Friday sales that are a lot of fun and where nothing can go wrong. Following real-life events, a crowd lined up outside a large Wal-Mart style supermarket becomes unruly when they see the owner’s daughter with her friends inside early in the morning. A stampede begins, and it is so terrible that it is even funny; customers and staff are mercilessly murdered by out-of-control shoppers (though this isn’t too far off from some of the Black Friday tramplings we’ve seen in the news). Owner Thomas Wright (Rick Hoffman) and his daughter Jessica (Nell Verlac) are at the center of a revenge plan that takes place a year later during the Thanksgiving holiday. There’s also a twisted family dynamic behind the mysterious killer’s motives, but that would be a spoiler. You can stream Thanksgiving on Netflix or rent it from Prime Video .
People (2021)
The past is present in almost any family gathering, and it’s especially true in this psychological drama written and directed by Stephen Karam, who also wrote the play on which the Tony Award-winning and Pulitzer Prize-nominated play is based. It begins with a father struggling with 9/11 trauma in his adult daughter’s apartment, which is too close to ground zero for his comfort (and possibly haunted). Everyone brings with them trauma and resentment, but the film is smart and subtle enough to avoid obvious points and easy answers. You can watch Humans on Prime Video.
For Your Consideration (2006)
Another masterpiece from the great Christopher Guest ( This Is the Spine Tap , Best in Show , A Mighty Wind , etc.), For Your Consideration is less about a true family gone bad and more about creating a family-friendly holiday theme. movie. Home for Purim, a low-budget family drama about a Jewish (well, obviously) family in the 1940s, is getting a bit of a makeover following the Oscar buzz. (“Too Jewish!” says the studio, and the film becomes a Thanksgiving home .) Meanwhile, the cast begins to preen itself and compete for awards season attention in increasingly undignified ways. Many of the usual suspects appear, including Catherine O’Hara, Parker Posey, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, Fred Willard, Larry Miller, Bob Balaban, Jennifer Coolidge, etc. You can rent For Your Consideration on Prime Video .
Home for the Holidays (1995)
Jodie Foster followed up her 1991 directorial debut , Little Man Tate, with this star-studded holiday party. Holly Hunter plays Claudia Larson, a newly laid off single mother who comes home to Baltimore to spend Thanksgiving with her family. After all, what could be less stressful? Old friends make her feel insecure about her divorce; her mother’s sister Gladys, in the early stages of dementia, confesses her love to her father; her gay brother throws turkey at her conservative sister; and the friendly fight after dinner turns serious. It’s definitely boring compared to some holiday gatherings. The film also stars Robert Downey Jr., Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning, Dylan McDermott, Claire Danes, Austin Pendleton and David Strathairn. You can stream Home for the Holidays on Paramount+ via Showtime or rent it on Prime Video .
Tadpole (2002)
This early-aughts indie version plays a bit like a cross between Rushmore and The Ice Storm , combining the slightly elegant sensibility of the former with the weird familial sexual dynamics of the latter. Aaron Stanford praises Oscar Grubman, a snotty schoolboy who comes home for the holidays with the intention of banging his stepmom (Sigourney Weaver), but fate takes a hand when he ends up in a relationship with his stepmom’s friend Diane (Bebe) instead. Neuwirth). It would have been Oscar’s 15th birthday, so there’s a nagging element that I don’t think would have been a concern in 2002, but ignore it and enjoy the great performances from everyone involved. You can rent Tadpole on Prime Video .
Blood Fury (1987)
When they were kids, identical twins Todd and Terry (both played by Mark Soper) spotted their mom making out with her boyfriend in the back seat of a car. Which, of course, sent Terry into a murderous rage as he killed the stranger hugging him. In an even more drastic move, he accuses his brother of murder, and Todd is sent to an asylum. Ten years later, Terry is living happily with his mom until his murderous impulses are awakened again by his mom’s boyfriend, Brad—but wait! Todd ran away from the orphanage, thinking about revenge. So the two brothers spend the bloody Thanksgiving holiday circling each other. Family is so difficult! You can stream Blood Rage (also known as Nightmare at Shadow Woods ) on Night Flight Plus or rent it on Fandango at Home .
Krisha (2015)
Probably the least enjoyable film here (which is saying something if you’ve seen People ), Krisha plays like a horror film at times, but for many who have struggled with substance addiction or who have family members who had her, they will find Krisha too real (I speak from experience). After years of being away from her family, Krisha (Krisha Fairchild) feels her life has changed and asks to be invited to the Thanksgiving dinner she will cook. Her intentions are good, but conflicting feelings and simmering resentment towards her family gradually overcome her, and things quickly go downhill. You can stream Krishna on Cinemax or rent it on Prime Video .
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
One of John Hughes’ best films features almost no teenagers at all, instead serving as a two-hander between Steve Martin and John Candy, a pair of desperately mismatched travelers heading to their Thanksgiving get-togethers. Only the luckiest among us are spared the agony of holiday travel, and Hughes captures much of the feeling of the ordeal, even as the film reaches even more absurd heights as the protagonists approach their destination. You can stream Planes, Trains and Automobiles on Paramount+ using Showtime and Pluto , or rent it on Prime Video .
The Myth of Fingerprints (1997)
White upper-middle-class family dysfunction was a big theme in the 1990s, but that doesn’t mean many of the resulting films weren’t as good as this one. On the one hand, this is another story about a family coming together over the holidays while struggling with hurts, secrets and stories of abuse, but the story is a big step up from the typical family drama, exploring various relationships with extraordinary subtlety and feeling. humor: The whole family is very excited, and when different couples are under the same roof during the holidays, it is very difficult for anyone to sleep. Stream The Fingerprint Myth on Fubo .
Vicious Kind (2009)
It doesn’t always take much to disrupt the precariously calm family atmosphere that exists here between brother Caleb and Peter (Adam Scott and Alex Frost) and their father Daniel (J.K. Simmons). There’s Emma Brittany Snow, Peter’s new girlfriend; misogynistic Caleb first disapproves of her and then falls in love with her. The production is not particularly innovative, but the film is smart and subtle, with good acting and believable dialogue. You can stream The Vicious Kind on Pluto or rent it on Prime Video .
Prisoners (2013)
Best known for his sci-fi masterpieces like Arrival and Dune , Denis Villeneuve first made his mark in American theaters with Prisoners, a twisty mystery thriller starring Hugh Jackman as a father desperate to find his missing wife. the daughter kidnapped on Thanksgiving Day is now forever. overshadowed by tragedy. It’s clear that he’s willing to do whatever he deems necessary, but he comes into conflict with the cop on the case (played by Jake Gyllenhaal). Another sad holiday classic. Prisoners is streaming on Max , or you can rent it on Prime Video .
The Oath (2018)
Ike Barinholtz and Tiffany Haddish lead this dark and very strange comedy that takes a detour into modern politics, but specifically the impact politics can have on our holiday gatherings. Here it’s a very mildly futuristic scenario in which Americans are required to sign the Pledge of Allegiance the day after Thanksgiving, which of course leads to all sorts of holiday bickering between family members with different ideas of what it means to be an American. Yes, it’s broad, but also surprisingly to the point. You can stream The Oath on Kanopy or rent it on Prime Video .
House of Yes (1997)
The screwball dark comedy The House of Yes isn’t perhaps a great representation of any particular American family at Thanksgiving—unless you have a psychopathic sister (Parker Posey) who thinks she’s Jackie Onassis. Call it a heightened version of the tomfoolery family members can bring to the dinner table. You can stream House of Yes on Pluto or rent it on Prime Video .
Travelers (1996)
You can spend the entire day watching classic ’90s Parker Posey movies, which honestly sounds better than 80% of typical Thanksgiving activities. Here she’s squeezed into a Buick with Hope Davis and Live Schreiber as they hitch a ride the day after Thanksgiving to track down Davis’ husband and confront him about his infidelities. Watch Daytrippers on Max and The Criterion , or rent it on Prime Video .
Rocky (1976)
For some, a holiday is just another day. As Rocky tells Adrian, “Thanksgiving to you, Thursday to me.” In a memorable Thanksgiving moment, Coach Paulie humiliates his sister and the turkey she’s struggling to cook. The scene is insulting, but it begins a love story for the ages as Rocky and Adrian ditch a failed vacation for a more intimate outing. Watch Rocky on MGM+ or Fubo, or rent it on Prime Video .
New World (2005)
There hasn’t been a major film yet that explores the origins of Thanksgiving (mythical or otherwise) from an Indigenous perspective, but visionary director Terence Mallick’s film tells the fairy tale story of the (disturbing) relationship between Colin Farrell’s Captain John Smith and Qorianka. Kilcher’s Pocahontas at least beats Disney to anything approaching historical reality. Stream The New World on Max or rent it on Prime Video .