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Review

Foster's directorial follow-up to Little Man Tate is this family drama that features (a seemingly coked-up) Robert Downey, Jr. as "the gay son." His homosexuality is not what's really at issue here - it's simply that he's an obnoxious jerk. The relationship between him and sister Holly Hunter borders on the comically incestuous.

Foster's sophomore effort continues her examination of familial conflicts and off-the-fringe characters in this sometimes funny family comedy which proves "it's all relative." Some of whom should be drawn-and-quartered.

The slightly neurotic but sane Hunter returns home for the Thanksgiving holiday. To anyone who has suffered through family get-togethers, her anxiety is all the more empathetic as she is greeted by a varied assortment of relatives. Bancroft and Durning are her meddling though caring parents, Chaplin is the flaky aunt, Stevenson is fabulously crazed as Hunter's majorly-anal sister, and in the always-excellent Downey is her spirited and jocular gay brother. (And hey - his "boyfriend" is played by the deliciously hunky Dylan McDermott, so at least the casting is good, right?)

While all the characters have their peculiarities, Foster and writer W.D. Richter ultimately exploit their endearing characteristics as well. The film is at its best up to and during the eventful dinner scene, and the closing montage nicely brings the film together.

Meandering, touching and piss-your-pants funny, it's definitely worth a look, and there's no denying that killer cast lineup.

 -- Erik Schut