As a seasoned movie buff with over three decades of cinematic adventures under my belt, I must say I approached “Nutcrackers” with great anticipation, given Ben Stiller’s comedic prowess and David Gordon Green’s directorial flair. Alas, it seems that the holiday spirit has eluded this film, much like a child misplacing their Nutcracker on Christmas morning.
In a different phrasing: “Michael Stiller, a renowned real estate developer from Chicago, always found little time for family affairs. His sister had once asserted that Michael was incapable of love. However, when an unfortunate accident befalls his sister and her spouse, the care of their house, farm, and four sons falls upon Michael. He journeys to his sister’s humble Ohio town, believing he merely needs to sign some documents and return to the city; yet, things prove far more complex than anticipated.
As my parents are no longer around, I’ve found myself living somewhat like stray animals with my brothers. Social worker Linda Cardellini is our lifeline until we find a new home, but for now, it seems Uncle Mike has taken on the role of our guardian. Unbeknownst to me, I find myself pursuing chickens and offering makeshift health lessons. In an attempt to escape the burden of fatherhood that’s been passed down, I’m shocked yet elated to discover my sister trained her boys in ballet. Could this newfound talent make them adorable enough for foster care?
The movie titled “Nutcrackers,” which had its first showing at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, will soon be streamable on both Hulu and Disney+. However, it seems that Green and Stiller’s collaboration on this dramedy has not been warmly received by critics. In fact, “Nutcrackers” has garnered some rather harsh reviews and a disappointing “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Critics Are Anything but Nuts for Nutcrackers
Prior to Ben Stiller stepping back into Hal L’s quirky universe for the forthcoming Happy Gilmore sequel, delivering a couple of “quiet down” beverages, he finds himself needing to rescue the situation as Uncle Mike in the film Nutcrackers. This holiday-themed comedy received positive feedback at TIFF initially, but subsequent reviews from critics have been harsh. Consequently, Nutcrackers currently has a poor score of 35% based on 23 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. In his review for Variety, Peter Debruge comments:
Less optimistic spectators might interpret the seemingly harmless family film as a personal tribute by Green, stepping away from revamping horror classics, and instead, paying homage to a genre that holds significance in his childhood memories.
According to Brian Tallerico’s critique on RogerEbert.com and Benjamin Lee’s review for The Guardian, the film is found to be quite frustrating as it seems to consistently forgo its strengths in favor of hitting predictable sitcom milestones. In Lee’s assessment, Nutcrackers receives a score of 2 out of 5.
“Stiller delivers a performance that seems like he’s acting in his sleep. Although he doesn’t simply phone it in, his character lacks depth and is not well-developed. Additionally, the script is lacking in humor to such an extent that Stiller is left resorting to old-fashioned slapstick.
Green has faced a series of unfavorable reviews lately, with his recent directorial projects such as Nutcrackers, receiving harsh criticisms on Rotten Tomatoes. The Exorcist: Believer (22%) and Halloween Ends (40%) are the other two films that have met a similar fate. However, there’s a glimmer of hope for Green’s latest movie, as Bilge Ebiri, writing for Vulture, offers a somewhat lenient critique of the holiday dramedy, even if optimism is not evident in his words.
Although the traditional shapes of Nutcrackers may seem ordinary, their sources of inspiration and passions reveal a spirited individuality and relentless independence.
The movie titled “Nutcrackers” will be streamable on Hulu starting this coming Friday, November 29th. Moreover, you can catch Green’s latest production on Hulu via Disney+ with the Disney bundle. If you’re undecided about watching this holiday film, I recommend reading MovieWeb’s review of “Nutcrackers,” which suggests that if given more time to develop its deeper themes, it could have been quite remarkable.
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2024-11-13 00:32