Nutcrackers (2024)

December 11, 2024 7:26 AM

[TRAILKER] Just as Mike (Ben Stiller) is on the heels of closing the biggest deal of his career, he's pulled away from his bachelor life in the big city to a farm in rural Ohio in order to help his recently orphaned nephews find a new home. Will this selfish city slicker learn the true value of family and Christmas?

Starring Ben Stiller, Linda Cardellini, Homer Janson, Ulysses Janson, Atlas Janson, Arlo Janson, Toby Huss, Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker.

Directed by David Gordon Green. Written by Leland Douglas. Produced by Rob Paris, Mike Witherill, Nate Meyer for Rivulet Films/Rough House Pictures. Cinematography by Michael Simmonds. Edited by Colin Patton. Music by Aaron M. Fernandez Olson.

43% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Currently on Hulu. JustWatch listing.

posted by DirtyOldTown (9 comments total)

This is the umpteenth version of a silly movie that was never that great in the first place. It's not appreciably worse than most of them, but that hardly justifies its existence.

"Let's watch a holiday movie," the spouse said.
"A new one!" the spouse said.

Between this and Dear Santa, it was a rough night.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:27 AM on December 11, 2024 [3 favorites]

Between this and Dear Santa, it was a rough night.

Should have watched Hot Frosty.
posted by Ashwagandha at 8:53 AM on December 11, 2024 [2 favorites]

We did, in fact, eventually land on Hot Frosty, which was stupid, but knew it was stupid and enjoyed itself cheerfully and unironically.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:57 AM on December 11, 2024 [4 favorites]

Same. If everybody is on the same page in a film it helps immeasurably.
posted by Ashwagandha at 9:12 AM on December 11, 2024

We didn’t even finish this movie. It doesn’t know if it is trying to be a comedy or a artsy drama. It just really sucked.

I thought it was interesting that the four boys are all siblings, it was filmed on their family farm, and all the animals except the snake belong to them.
posted by fimbulvetr at 9:43 AM on December 11, 2024

It seems almost incomprehensible, after his detours into stoner comedy, his dubious to terrible horror requels, and now this, that David Gordon Green was once seen as a promising young filmmaker.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:23 AM on December 11, 2024 [2 favorites]

Okay, on rereading, I guess I should have been clear that I meant the four actors playing the boys.
posted by fimbulvetr at 10:37 AM on December 11, 2024 [2 favorites]

Having just been pleasantly surprised by Hot Frosty I was disappointed by Nutcrackers. The concept of a concept was there but the execution was flat. I thought it would at least provide a few chuckles but we didn't end up finishing it.
posted by MadMadam at 11:43 PM on December 11, 2024

Are there holiday movies where the protagonist doesn't learn the True Meaning of Christmas? Or learns the absolutely wrong lessons? Because that/those would be fun.
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:19 AM on December 14, 2024