NUTCRACKERS

TIFF 24 REVIEW BY: DARREN ZAKUS

DATE: NOVEMBER 29, 2024

RATING: 3 out of 5

Nutcrackers benefits greatly from the talents of Ben Stiller and Linda Cardellini who both shine in this holiday family dramedy, that despite the uneven comedic writing of David Gordon Green, manages to pack enough holiday cheer, heart and laughter to make for an entertaining movie night in.

Ben Stiller has been making audiences laugh for decades with comedies like Meet the Parents, Zoolander and There’s Something About Mary, and it is also the genre that writer and director David Gordon Green is best known for outside his recent foray into the horror genre with his Halloween trilogy and the awards dramas with films like Stronger. It only seems fitting that both of them should return to the comedy genre together after a significant time away from it with the new indie holiday comedy Nutcrackers that was picked up for distribution early this year at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival by Disney Hulu. While it treads familiar ground within the comedy genre for films featuring a relative finding themselves in charge of young and unruly children after a tragic loss in the family, it has just enough heart to balance against the crude R rated humour to create an entertaining little holiday film.

Knowing that Green’s previous comedies have included films such as Your Highness, Pineapple Express and The Sitter, it comes as no surprise that Nutcrackers features a good amount of profanity and crude humour. The comedic moments in the film’s first two acts are hit or miss, with some of the moments generating great laughter amongst viewers, while others come across as too silly and fail to stick the comedic landing. For a streaming film, it's pretty harmless even if some of the jokes don’t work or get repetitive quickly, while still promising an entertaining watch. The direction of the story is evident from the start; you know that there is going to be a happy ending for the Kicklighter boys and that their uncle Mike will begin to truly care for them. It is derivative of the genre, and similar storylines have been affected better before with more heart and more hilarious comedic moments, but by the time the third act comes around it’s hard not to be won over by the overflowing amount of heartwarming sentiment and holiday cheer that ends the film on a strong note.

When it comes to comedy, Ben Stiller is synonymous with the genre, and he is the perfect fit for the role of Mike Maxwell, the workaholic uncle from the city entrusted with temporary care of his four minor nephews. Stiller is game for all the physical comedy beats and gross out gags while taking Mike on a journey of self discovery as he comes to the realization of what is truly important in life (a common trope of the holiday genre). Making their film debuts are Homer, Ulysses, Arlo and Atlas Janson as Mike’s young nephews, and being real life brothers gives them a leg up in their performances. The mischievous chemistry they have together as a brotherly unit injects the film with great life and energy, helping to create the beating heart of the film that Mike discovers by the end. And you can never go wrong with casting Linda Cardellini, who shines as Gretchen, the family services agent assigned to the boys’ case, bringing a much needed warmth and care to every scene she is in. 

Even though it is not guaranteed to redefine the holiday movie genre or become an annual rewatch for many viewers, Nutcrackers offers up enough fun to justify adding it to your Christmas watchlist this year. With the ever talented Ben Stiller in the lead role delivering a great performance in his first leading role in over six years and the always delightful Linda Cardellini infusing the film with her always radiant presence, Nutcrackers entertains just enough to make it a worthy selection for a movie night this holiday season.