THE HOLIDAYS CAN DRIVE YOU NUTS.

Chicagoan Mike Maxwell (Ben Stiller) arrives in rural Ohio to make sure his four unruly and recently orphaned nephews find a new home.

After a bunch of horror movies, David Gordon Green made this down-to-earth Yuletide comedy where a workaholic with no need for a family learns a few valuable lessons. Completely void of surprise, and the four boys initially try our patience as much as Mike’s… but they grow on us and the filmmakers’ ambition comes across as heartfelt.

Stiller is fine in his first starring role in seven years.

2024-U.S. 104 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by David Gordon Green. Cast: Ben Stiller (Mike Maxwell), Linda Cardellini (Gretchen Rice), Homer Janson (Justice Kicklighter), Ulysses Janson, Atlas Janson, Arlo Janson. 

Trivia: Co-executive produced by Green and Danny McBride. First shown at the Toronto film festival, then released on Hulu and Disney+.