After the earnest but insipid Little Man Tate, that protean actress Jodie Foster takes another swing at directing with this rambunctious comedy about the sick feeling that comes when we head to the family hearth for the damned holidays. As Thanksgiving nears, Foster watches with compassion and mischievous wit as characters drag their asses to the emotional killing fields of home. It's a shame that W.D. Richter's un-Disney-ish script often slides into shrill stereotypes and sitcom silliness. Ample compensation comes from Foster's large and spirited cast. Holly Hunter is a live wire as Claudia, a single mom just fired from a Chicago museum and worried that her 15-year-old daughter, Kitt (Claire Danes), is about to give up her virginity while Claudia is in Baltimore choking on turkey with the folks.

Anne Bancroft and Charles Durning could not be better as Claudia's domineering and loving parents, but Robert Downey Jr. overdoes the manic frenzy of Tommy, Claudia's gay brother. Tommy brings along Leo (a charming Dylan McDermott), who confuses Claudia by flirting with her. At least Leo takes Claudia's mind off her eccentric Aunt Glady (Geraldine Chaplin) and Claudia's guilt-instilling sister Joanne (Cynthia Stevenson) and her banker husband, Walter (Steve Guttenberg). The film's comic highlight is a Thanksgiving dinner that ends in a food fight with turkey and accusations flying. Foster keeps the party hopping, although more dark humor would have helped before she winds it down with sentiment and bromides.

“All Along the Watchtower”

Jimi Hendrix got hold of Bob Dylan's early John Wesley Harding tapes and in late 1967 recorded a version of "All Along the Watchtower" with the Experience in London. Dissatisfied with that first development, Hendrix brought those tapes with him to New York in early 1968 when he began work on Electric Ladyland. Eddie Kramer, Hendrix's engineer at the time, told Rolling Stone that Hendrix "was still looked upon by his basically white audience as the mammoth black guitar hero. There was a constant fight within him to expand himself." Hendrix's successful take on Dylan's work has long been recognized by the songwriter. "I liked Jimi Hendrix's record of this and ever since he died I've been doing it that way," Dylan wrote in the liner notes to his Biograph box set. "Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."