Movie:
Home for the Holidays, originally released theatrically in 1995, marked Jodie Foster's second turn as director, after 1991's Little Man Tate. Starring in the film are: Holly Hunter (Claudia Larson), Robert Downey Jr. (Thomas Larson), Anne Bancroft (Adele Larson), Charles Durning (Henry Larson), Dylan McDermott (Leo), Steve Guttenberg (Walter), Cynthia Stevenson (Joanne), and Claire Danes (Kitt Larson).

After losing her job, kissing her boss, and finding out her daughter plans on having sex while she's away, Claudia Larson goes home for Thanksgiving. However, once she's home, things rapidly progress from bad to worse when her brother Tommy shows up with a "friend," her aunt, who is slowly losing her mind, comes over, and her sister, Joanne, shows up with her family. Despite all the zaniness that her dysfunctional family causes, Claudia begins to put her life back together and might even find love in the process.

Home for the Holidays is a film that, despite some slow spots, was fairly enjoyable. Like many "family" movies nowadays, every member of the family has some sort of problem, like the eccentric brother, the neurotic mother, and the compulsive sister. Just seeing things get crazier and crazier provided some laughs, but after awhile, it got to be a bit too much. The actors all do a decent job with their roles, especially Holly Hunter, who carries the film.

Picture:
Home for the Holidays is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The transfer is mostly free from defects, though there are some small specks that pop up occasionally, as well as a couple very faint lines. The end of the film has a few scenes that are supposed to be older home video footage of Claudia's family, and as such (for effect), it does contain numerous print defects, such as grain, scratches, and marks. Colors are mainly natural, though appear slightly muted in a few scenes, and while flesh tones are mostly accurate, there are a few scenes where they appear slightly too pale. Blacks are good throughout the film.

Sound:
Home for the Holidays is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 in English and Dolby 2.0 Stereo Surround in French. The 5.1 track is fairly active in the front surrounds with some directionality, though the rear surrounds are mainly quiet, except for some ambient effects and the film's music. Dialogue throughout is clean and easy to understand throughout. Optional subtitles are available in French and Spanish.

Extras:
The main extra on the disc is a screen-specific audio commentary with director Jodie Foster. Foster's commentary is informative, and for the most part, entertaining, though at times, she's quiet. She shares the themes of the film, how it was produced, what it was like working with the actors, the character's motivations, as well as soundtrack choices. Fans of the film should definitely give the commentary a listen. Also on the disc is the film's trailer.

Summary:
Home for the Holidays is an enjoyable comedy, though it gets to be a bit too much near the end. Fans of the film should be pleased with the presentation, and with Foster's informative commentary and a low MSRP, this should be an easy purchase. For those unfamiliar with the film, it is certainly worth a rent if you're a fan of the actors and actresses involved. Recommended.