22 Family Movies Not To Watch With Your Family On Thanksgiving

Courtesy of Fox Searchlight.

Little Miss Sunshine

Parts of this movie are absolutely perfect for family movie night, but the parts that are a bit heavier are potentially heartbreaking enough to warrant a spot on this list. You’ve likely already seen this indie that accidentally became a huge hit: we follow the Hoover family on an insane and ultimately ill-fated roadtrip to California, where determined young Olive hopes to be crowned in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant she and her grandfather have been training for. Each member of this quirky but super-relatable family has their own struggle and their own goal, which is what makes this otherwise simple-on-paper story so complex and intriguing on the screen. This film deals with mental illness, mid-life crises, shattered dreams, hard-to-face unavoidable realities, and even death. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll immediately want to rewatch it. And though it’s steeped in dysfunction, this family’s journey may inspire you and soothe your worries about your own. But be inspired and soothed without them sitting right next to you, mmmkay?

Especially avoid if: Dark comedy does not appeal to you. With a suicide attempt, a major character’s death and its morbid aftermath, and crushing disappointment all on tap, I wouldn’t exactly categorize this movie as feel-good. But, weirdly, facing these all-too-real heartbreaks head on will kind of make you feel good.