Friendsgiving (2020)

Friendsgiving is the kind of holiday comedy that earns its laughs the honest way: by letting a roomful of wounded, lovable people collide until something true slips out between the punchlines. Malin Åkerman and Kat Dennings anchor the chaos with a lived-in best-friends chemistry—funny, frazzled, and quietly tender—while the ensemble keeps the dinner table spinning with just enough oddball energy to feel like a real gathering gone off the rails. The vibe is messy and warm, a little raunchy, and unexpectedly sincere, with grief and longing treated as part of the feast rather than a buzzkill. It may not be for viewers who want a neat, cozy Thanksgiving movie, but if you’ve ever survived a dysfunctional holiday and still loved the people anyway, this one feels like a toast to chosen family.

Friendsgiving is clearly aiming for a messy, inclusive hangout comedy where a simple holiday plan turns into a chaotic parade of awkward guests, bruised feelings, and big personalities. The problem is it plays more like a grab bag of quirky subplots than a movie with real momentum, so the jokes often land as mild smiles instead of proper laughs and the energy keeps scattering just when it should build. If you need a tight, sharply written Thanksgiving comedy with escalating payoffs, this will likely feel vague and undercooked. Still, the cast is game and there are a few fun character moments, so it can work as low-stakes background viewing if you’re in the mood for something breezy rather than genuinely hilarious.