Word: wyle
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...grainy dysfunctional-family drama that seems to be aiming for a Chekhovian blend of humor and pathos, but falls far short of the mark. Its saving grace is solid ensemble acting, with Julianne Moore and "ER" darling Noah Wyle holding their own as the two central characters who make Thanksgiving a squirm with their barely-concealed resentment toward their taciturn and enigmatic father (Roy Scheider). Unfortunately, none of the characters here are given enough depth or dimension to earn any true empathy. --Lynn...
...grainy dysfunctional-family drama that seems to be aiming for a Chekhovian blend of humor and pathos, but falls far short of the mark. Its saving grace is solid ensemble acting, and Julianne Moore and "ER" darling Noah Wyle hold their own as the two central characters who make Thanksgiving squirmily uncomfortable with their barely-concealed resentment toward their tacitum and enigmatic father (Roy Scheider of "Jaws" fame). Unfortunately, none of the characters here are given enough depth or dimension to earn any true empathy...
...birthday party. The story then cuts to 20 years later, with the annual Thanksgiving reunion with the folks (Roy Scheider and Blythe Danner). This year, all four children show up: Mia (Julianne Moore), Jake (Michael Vartan), Leigh (Laurel Holloman), and, somewhat unexpectedly, the long-absent Warren (Noah Wyle). Significant others are in attendance: Mia's boyfriend, Elliot (Brian Kerwin); Jake's girlfriend, Margaret (Hope Davis); and, flitting in and out of the family picture, past and present, Warren's ex-girlfriend, Daphne (Arija Bareikis...
Within these limits, there's actually quite a lot of good acting to be seen here. Wyle (who had bit parts in movies before stepping onto the set of "ER") acquits himself well as the soul-searching Warren. There's a depth and intelligence in his gaze that translates across both the big and small screen. Moore, as Mia, is convincingly abrasive and acerbic, even though the source of her anger remains a mystery. Hope Davis' Margaret brings a refreshingly clear-eyed, unselfconscious good humor that helps brighten the glumness of her surroundings, while Scheider's craggy Lincoln-like profile...