7 Most Awkward Thanksgiving Dinners From Film and Television

Penn Collins — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:30:51 +0000

It’s unlikely that holiday meals are ever as awkward as they are constantly depicted in films and on television. Almost every Thanksgiving movie seems to offer unrelenting tension and scorn between characters, until, at the very end, everyone realizes, “Hey. Family.” and decides to not hate each other anymore.

As trite as the convention is, it doesn’t cheapen the general discomfort that accompanies these movies, either due to conflict or the fact that the characters are awful. Generally both.

If you’re concerned that your Thanksgiving holiday will be too pleasant and conflict-free, take solace in these films, which will show you what Hollywood really thinks turkey day is about.

Scent of a Woman

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I can’t say I would want Al Pacino at my Thanksgiving dinner, and his family in Scent of a Woman seems to feel the same way. Basically, we see that the miserable old crank is a miserable old crank in front of his whole family and always has been. Also, we learn that he lost his vision by being an alcoholic who juggled live hand grenades.

While he remains stoic during the beginning of Bradley Whitford’s telling of the story, it’s almost immediately clear that he’s seething underneath, and it’s only a matter of time before he explodes. And explode he does. After he attacks his nephew, he takes off, taking the narrative with him, but I would like to see how the rest of that dinner went.

Dexter S4 Thanksgiving Episode

This doesn’t require too much explanation. Any dinner that includes a brutal fight and use of the dreaded “C-Word” is going to make this list. Throw in the fact this dinner has not one, but two serial killers at the table, and you can’t get much more awkward without involving incest.

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7 Most Awkward Thanksgiving Dinners From Film and Television

Scent of a Woman

Dexter S4 Thanksgiving Episode