Independent Films, Film Profiles

Home for the Holidays (film)

Home for the Holidays is a 1995 comedy-drama film directed by Jodie Foster and produced by Peggy Rajski and Jodie Foster. The screenplay was by W. D. Richter based on the short story by Chris Radant. The music score was by Mark Isham and the cinematography by Lajos Koltai.The film stars Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr., Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning, Dylan McDermott, Geraldine Chaplin, Steve Guttenberg, Cynthia Stevenson with Claire Danes, Austin Pendleton and David Strathairn.The story is about Claudia Larson (Holly Hunter), a single mom who spends Thanksgiving at the home of her parents, Adele (Anne Bancroft) and Henry Larson (Charles Durning) while her only child Kitt (Claire Danes) decides to spend the holiday with her boyfriend. It also does not help that Claudia has just lost her job. The family gathering also includes Claudia's conservative sister, Joanne Larson Wedman (Cynthia Stevenson), her husband Walter (Steve Guttenberg) and their children; Claudia's gay brother Tommy (Robert Downey, Jr) and his new friend Leo Fish (Dylan McDermott); and her eccentric aunt Glady (Geraldine Chaplin).