I’m one of those people who firmly believes that the intrinsic value of film lies in the feelings it evokes in each viewer. This is very subjective. So, I generally don’t treat film critics with absolutes (in fact, when someone ~tells~ me to do or not do something, I’m twice as likely to do the opposite). However, I am about to make a rather demonstrative statement: nutcracker is one of the best new holiday movies to come out in years.
The film marks Ben Stiller’s return to acting after spending the better part of a decade producing and directing, and the best part about it is that he’s not even the best part about it. Don’t get me wrong; he’s great. If you’ve always liked Stiller’s biting, physical, slapstick humor, you won’t be disappointed. but where nutcracker The real eye-catchers are Stiller’s sidekicks: Homer, Ulysses, Arlo and Atlas Janssen.
Yes, they are real-life brothers. No one is even an actor. There’s a lot of magic in this.
In the film, Stiller plays a nervous, workaholic real estate developer named Michael who must make an unexpected trip to Ohio to deal with his sister’s estate after her tragic death. There he discovers that her estate consists mainly of a working farm and her four mischievous sons. When Michael says he can’t take them in, a kind social worker (the always amazing Linda Cardellini) steps in to help find foster homes for the boys… but you can see where this is going .
Meanwhile, Michael must stay behind to care for the children and create a unique adaptation with his nephews. nutcracker ballet.
Not surprisingly, Michael’s adjustment to life on the farm—not to mention life with his uncle—produces some very funny moments. When you know this, everything becomes more fun nutcracker It wasn’t shot on some soundstage; the film was actually shot on the Jensen family’s rural homestead, surrounded by their real animals, including chickens, goats, dogs, pigs, and even guinea pigs (“Them It’s cute, but it also has a bit of an edge,” Stiller told me.
“It’s just such an immersive experience,” Stiller shared when I sat down for a Zoom chat with Stiller, Homer, and Arlo. “You turn around and the kids are on the roof. You turn around and they’re riding dirt bikes. I have to jump into the pond. It’s all happening instantly – there’s no one place in particular. [they] Went. Basically, they just stay in the house. The cat is always on the stairs. Chickens are chickens, but the pig, Mabel, scares me the most.
It doesn’t get more real and organic than this. Well, maybe a little more…
When I asked the boys if the pranks in the movie translated into pranks on set, Homer revealed that the brothers didn’t intentionally pull any pranks on Stiller. Unless, that is, you count the fact that their father collects actual dog poop for Stiller to step in in the film’s opening scene.
“I was told that before we shot the scene,” Stiller said with a laugh. “I was like, ‘Wait a minute, wait a minute — come on, there are special effects.’ It was like, ‘No, this is a movie. “It feels like the movie is always happening. We don’t stop because we’re in their house. These guys are the real deal.
look? It’s really the most organic you can get.
Everyone always talks about how movies from the ’80s and ’90s had a certain magic to them, and there’s been a slow shift in recent years to try to recapture some of that magic. this movie Already successful. Its rough-edged vibe sets it apart from classics such as Falling into the water, Jumanji, The Goonies, home alone, hook, Nanny Adventures — I’m seeing all of these favorite shades in a slightly wild style nutcracker brother.
The movie is silly and unpretentious, maybe a little inappropriate at times, but like so many movies from our youth. “Sex education” class? I couldn’t help but laugh. If talking about “boobs” and “flappy penises” makes you clutch your pearls, then you clearly don’t have boys.
But just like those classic movies when we were kids nutcracker There is also an emotional core. These boys are grieving. They are trying to find a new normal. In a world that prefers homogeneity, they’re different, wild, and special, and it’s a testament to their lost parents that they manage to tug at your heartstrings without actually being in the movie .
In case you were wondering, the charm and charisma of the boys you see on screen are countless times greater than the charm and charisma in real life. If you could hear little Arlo sweetly talking about the shoot, “It was such a good experience watching Ben act so that when we grow up we can be good actors like him.” Between all of this and the dance scene crescendo , your heart might triple in size.
As for Stiller, he always wanted to work with director David Gordon Green, describing how nutcracker As a most welcome surprise.
“I read the script…and at first I thought, Was he trying to be a satire or a post-mortem version of this kind of movie? He said, ‘No, it’s not actually cynical. We’re going to tell stories like this and make movies like we did 30 years ago. We would do it on the farm with these kids,” Stiller recalled. “When I saw it, there was a saying, Yeah, let’s do this. Let’s hang out with these guys for a few months. It was truly one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.
You can stream nutcracker Now on Hulu.
