The best Thanksgiving dinner scenes are the ones that show real family issues brought to the fore, and end up being resolved to a large degree before the movie ends. That means the focus of the scene and the movie is on forgiveness and reconciliation, even though it may not be whole or satisfy the viewer. Thanksgiving is the one day of the year where people should look to see where old relationships can be repaired, and where new ones can be created.
Of course, it doesn’t have to always be so serious. The most enduring scenes are the ones where you realize, at the end of the scene, that somehow things are going to work out. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but it offers a hope that makes you want to see what happens at next year’s Thanksgiving gathering.
1. Scent of a Woman
This makes many Top 5 and Top 10 lists because of Al Pacino’s acting. Many critics say this was a very risky part for him to play because it was far from his usual tough guy, impenetrable ego characters (but he did get to yell a lot in the movie). In this scene he is being humiliated by his son-in-law and attempts by the family to stop the verbal assault are in vain. Slade (Pacino) stops the assault in his own way, but the sense of raw cruelty from family members is not something that is limited to the movies.
2. The Blind Side
Inviting guests over the house can be a bit tricky, but inviting a total stranger over requires more than a bit of tact. The goal is to make outsiders/strangers feel welcome and a part of the family. When it is just family, everyone knows their place so no one has to put on airs about who they are. Many times we forget that people can feel alone in a crowd, or in a family gathering. When someone says, “It’s Thanksgiving” it is all about unintentionally excluding Michael because there is no place for him. It is something that is easy to fix, but just as easy to overlook.
3. The Ice Storm
This scene can be titled “When Grace Goes Awry.” Many people say this is the greatest single Thanksgiving scene because it show the hypocrisy often associated with the holiday. It is an uncomfortable subject to discuss, but it demonstrates the true meaning of forgiveness and Thanksgiving if those who celebrate it are true to themselves.
4. Funny People
This scene is about the reality of life and what each of us should be thankful for every day — the people around us and the time we have been given. It illustrates that family gatherings can be superficial, but a gathering of the people you truly love, and who love you, has the potential to be the most memorable Thanksgiving ever.
5. Avalon
If you named this scene “Tradition Dies Hard” you wouldn’t be far off. This is a film from 1956, when families didn’t live far from each other, when everyone sat down at the table together for dinner every day, and when the trek to America brought not only people across the Atlantic, but traditions as well. It is a bit nostalgic, a lot historical, and a reflection of a time when oftentimes family was all that you could depend on.
Follow Us
