Home For The Holidays

Thanks to the immensely likable ensemble cast, Jodie Foster's second directorial effort isn't a complete turkey. Holly Hunter keeps things grounded as Claudia, a woman dreading her family's Thanksgiving reunion. This comedic look at a dysfunctional family's holiday strains for the universal, but the characters (addled dad, loony aunt, overbearing gay brother, prim yuppie sister and her banker husband) are played at sitcom depth. The quietest moments hit home hardest. An optional purchase. (D. Liebenson)[Blu-ray Review—Oct. 3, 2017—Shout! Factory, 103 min., R, Blu-ray: $27.99—Making its debut on Blu-ray, 1995's Home for the Holidays features a fine transfer and a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. Extras include audio commentary by director Jodie Foster, and a photo gallery (7 min.). Bottom line: Foster's uneven holiday dramedy looks good on Blu-ray.]