Nutcrackers

Review: Ben Stiller’s first lead film role in six years, this film brought Stiller’s usual snark & demeanor that he brings to every film he stars in. The film follows Mike (Stiller), a work obsessed single man who must travel to rural Ohio to care for his four newly orphaned nephews. The film is set during the holiday season and SLIGHT SPOILER concludes with the boys performing their own version of ‘The Nutcracker.’ I think it handled the emotional aspect very well, and also did a great job displaying the bond Mike forms with the boys. The second half of this film was A LOT stronger than the first, and the line of ‘are you still going to be here when I wake up?’ was a good touch.

High: The four actors who play the Kicklighter brothers are brothers in real life, and you can really tell. The way they interact with one another is just so real. It doesn’t feel performative, or forced, but just like you’re watching four brothers talk to one another. All of their performances were great for this being their film debut, specifically Homer Janson, who played Justice.

Low: Something about the vibe for this film just wasn’t doing it for me. I won’t say t wasn’t funny, because there were some funny moments, but overall the humor just wasn’t the brand of humor I typically enjoy. There were just several lines & moments that felt more odd to me than anything else, but maybe that was the goal. The ongoing hunt for trying to find someone who would adopt the boys felt a little awkward to me, but again, I think that was intentional.

Rating: 5.5/10