For many people, a familiar pastime in the weeks leading up to major winter holidays is gathering with family members and watching holiday movies, be they in a theater or on television. During the month of December, the Falls Free Press will return to our tradition of “The 12 Films of Christmas,” focusing on new holiday movies for the year 2024—a year that can still do with plenty of peace and joy. We will review each film, whether naughty or nice, and let you know where to watch.
It’s not often anymore that I find a heartwarming holiday family film that isn’t either a run-of-the-mill Hallmark Channel movie or one made more for children. To want something different seems off however, as holiday movies are essentially made for that very reason, to remind us of celebrating the holidays as children. We don’t keep turning back to Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman every year simply because it’s a requirement during December. We do so, including those who do not have children, because these stories remind people of the spirit of Christmas and the powerful messages about being with loved ones. Nutcrackers portrays this very feeling.
Ben Stiller stars as Michael, a top real estate developer in Chicago, who travels to rural Ohio following his sister and brother-in-law’s death. Arriving at her home, he discovers this temporary relocation comes with not only closing out her dance studio that’s behind on payment, but also taking care of his four nephews while working with a social worker to find them a foster home. The four boys, Justice, Junior, Simon, and Samuel Kicklighter (played by real-life brothers Homer, Ulysses, Arlo, and Atlas Janson) are high-spirited, rambunctious, and while heavily disciplined in both farm work and ballet, have chosen to be energetic and confrontational, especially since their parent’s accident.
In an effort to promote the boys’ good side and find them a proper foster family, Michael plans to produce a better version of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker written by Junior called “The Nutcracker’s Mustache,” starring the brothers and their former dance classmates. This production, of course, brings the uncle and nephews closer together, as well as with the social worker, Gretchen, portrayed by Linda Cardellini.
Filmed on the family farm of director David Gordon Green’s film school classmate Karey Williams, not only were all the animals used in the film hers, but so were the four young boys, all giving a feeling of truth behind the story. According to Green, “This movie is a lot of things. It’s a comedy, it’s a drama, it’s a horror movie. But for me, it’s a reason to dance, you know, I just wanted to start moving, move my body a little bit, and get out to the farm and kick some pig shit.”
Green is accurate in his sentiment that Nutcrackers is a reason to dance like nobody’s watching, and forget what the world thinks about you. Despite being snubbed by others their age in the community– for being dirty, living on a farm, parentless, and what some may call “hillbilly,” the Kicklighter boys express themselves however they wish, especially through dance, their mother’s great love, a skill not often shown by boys at that age. The film also embodies the lesson of realizing what is more important in life, work or family, and realizing what we have before it’s gone.
Overall, I truly enjoyed watching this film, and hope to see any of these actors who up in more holiday films in the future.
Nutcrackers is available to stream on Hulu.
