What’s Cooking?

Synopsis:

In Los Angeles, the loosely intertwined stories of four different extended families from four different ethno-cultural backgrounds – the Hispanic Avilas, the Vietnamese Nguyens, the Jewish Seeligs and the black Williamses – gathering for their respective Thanksgiving dinners are presented. Their stories are remarkably similar, but each with their own ethno-cultural spin: turkey with a twist being prepared primarily by the head female of the household, largely ethnic sides accompanying the turkey, football on television, and family dysfunction in many different forms pervading the atmosphere of the gathering, the elephant or elephants in the room which most in the know don’t want to be discussed on what is supposed to be this day of thanks. A single event at one of the dinners has a profound effect on all four gatherings.

Quick Thoughts:

“What’s Cooking?” is an interesting Thanksgiving film. This ensemble film covers four very different families as they gather for Thanksgiving dinner – and all of the drama that entails. It was actually quite fascinating to compare and contrast the different cultural festivities. Except, for most of the film it felt like four separate stories. Slowly, a connection was made between two of the families but it wasn’t until near the end of the film when it all connected – in a very anti-climatic way. It was an alright film, especially with the queer drama in one of the families: the daughter is a lesbian who not only brings her girlfriend home this year, but announces she’s pregnant – and her gay brother-in-law is the sperm donor! It’s a relatable storyline that makes this film bearable. But it’s one you’d only watch on Thanksgiving. So give it a watch, especially if you enjoy family dramas around the holidays.