Title: National Lampoon’s
Thanksgiving Reunion
Stars: Bryan Cranston, Judge Reinhold,
Penelope Ann Miller, Hallie Todd, Meghan Ory, Calum Worthy, Britt Irvin, Reece
Thompson, and Antony Holland
Writers: Marc Warren and Dennis
Rinsler
Director: Neal Israel
Executive Producer: Gary Hoffman
Running Time: 90 minutes without
commercials
Media: TBS Superstation Original
Television Motion Picture (NTSC VHS Screener)
Premiere Sunday, November 23, 2003, at
8pm (ET/PT)
Network: Turner Broadcast Systems
Superstation (Check your local cable/satellite listings for channel)
TV Rating: Not Available At Time Of
Review
Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera
Thanksgiving is my
favorite holiday out of the whole year. It does not have the same level of build
up stress and expectations that Christmas has attached to it and it is about
being thankful for what you have and all the blessings we have gotten, including
ones we may not even be aware we have. It is also a time when the whole family
regardless of whether they are your blood relatives or just friends can sit
down, enjoy a good meal, and hopefully share some quality time.
Having made audiences
around the world laugh with the various “Vacation” adventures involving
“The Griswold Family” and set the standard for fraternity parties to live up
to for all time in “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” I am surprised the
folks at “National Lampoon” have not taken a jab at contemporary American
family Thanksgiving celebration sooner, but now they have and the results I
think can be best described as being “cute.” Despite the limitations set by
the FCC when it comes to broadcast cable and satellite television, lest we
forget standard broadcast, there are a wide variety of jokes that border on
adult humor as well as some low brow bathroom humor that kids will enjoy. In
fact as a whole I think the whole family can enjoy “National Lampoon’s
Thanksgiving Reunion” and then be thankful that that’s not their family, I
hope!
In the tradition of
National Lampoon’s long line of irreverent comedies, “National Lampoon’s
Thanksgiving Reunion” follows Dr. Albert Snider (Judge Reinhold),
anesthesiologist to the stars, who travels with his family to spend Thanksgiving
with a long lost cousin (Bryan Cranston) in Idaho. However chaos ensues
after they arrive, as the conservative Snider family butts heads with the hippie
cousin and his wife (Penelope Anne Miller).
This comedy was
directed by Neal Israel (Bachelor Party) from a script by Dennis Rinsler
and Marc Warren (Full House). Gary Hoffman (Bastard Out of
Carolina) serves as executive producer, with James Shavick (Romantic
Comedy 101) serving as producer. Cranston and Miller are great
together and Reinhold does a capable job playing the straight guy to all the
family lunacy around him. “National Lampoon’s Thanksgiving Reunion” is
worth a look and will air on TBS at the dates and times below:
“National
Lampoon’s Thanksgiving Reunion”
Premiere:
Sunday,
November 23, 2003, at 8pm (ET/PT)
Sunday,
November 23, 2003, at 10pm (ET/PT)
Monday,
November 24, 2003, at 12am (ET/PT)
Wednesday,
November 26, 2003, at 8pm (ET/PT)
Wednesday,
November 26, 2003, at 10pm (ET/PT)
Thursday, November 27, 2003, at 12am (ET/PT)
©
Copyright 2003 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.