Love or hate Thanksgiving, the most charming thing about this holiday is that there’s no right or wrong way to do it. In that way, there are also no right or wrong picks for the best Thanksgiving movies. Traditionally, the celebration always revolved around showing our gratitude for whatever blessings we have in life, and bringing together friends and family for a traditional feast. This old custom has borne many more, including the now ubiquitous “Friendsgiving,” which consists of a more intimate potluck among companions rather than direct family. (Or, as comedian Joel Kim Booster recently tweeted, a holiday “created by and for gay people, draft dodgers, freaks, sluts and literal orphans” that has now been “co-opted by a bunch of people still on their family plan.”) Finally, there are those who don’t celebrate at all, choosing instead to take advantage of the time off work or school for some much-needed rest and relaxation.
Still, those of us who do celebrate with friends and/or family know there’s a great deal that can go awry this time of the year—often due to the unpleasant discussions about politics that inevitably come up when a great many people gather in the same place at once. Whether you want to cozy up lazily with your loved ones or mitigate the difficulties that arise from the less flattering aspects of this holiday, movies are always a safe bet for filling those gaps during Thanksgiving when you’re not eating and there’s little else to do.
There’s a science to picking the perfect Thanksgiving movie. For starters, it should be easily accessible (in the digital age, this more than likely means it’s available to rent or stream online) and be long enough to block out a substantial part of the afternoon or evening. It doesn’t have to take place during Thanksgiving, but an autumnal vibe is always a plus. (As great as Jaws is, for example, who would want to watch that anytime other than summer?) The best Thanksgiving movies should also be what I call “grandpa-proof”—meaning your company would likely enjoy it if they stay awake, but if they nod off, then that’s also not a problem. Finally, the best Thanksgiving movies have to be entertaining enough to engage everyone in the family or friend group. This latter point is especially hard to achieve, but it’s also key to what makes a movie fit for this holiday in particular. If you’re wondering how to pick something your conservative grandparent and teenage niece can both enjoy, look no further than this list.
Here are five great movies to watch this Thanksgiving:
The Big Lebowski (1998)
Where to Watch: Netflix, Paramount+, Peacock, Showtime (Apple TV+)
Synopsis: Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) is just your regular Los Angeles slacker who spends the majority of his time either at the bowling alley with his fellow bum friends, or getting high alone in his apartment. That is, until he’s attacked in his home one day after being mistaken for another Jeff Lebowski—a millionaire who, it turns out, owes a very powerful man a large sum of money. With that, our protagonist is thrown into a lurid underground world of sex, drugs and crime, all while trying to clear his name.
Endorsement: Not only is The Big Lebowski one of the funniest films from the last 30 years (even first-time watchers are bound to recognize at least one of its many iconic lines from the many memes and references it’s inspired over the years)—it’s also the kind of comedy where the individual gags are funny enough to entertain anyone who may find the the admittedly dense plotting difficult to follow. In other words, yes—you could theoretically fall into a food coma and still pretend to have paid attention after it ends and your friends ask what your favorite part was. “Man, that dream sequence was so cool!” you say. Are you talking about The Dude’s, which sees him romancing Julianne Moore in a psychedelic bowling alley—or your own, populated perhaps by a live version of the turkey you had earlier, scolding you for eating too much of itself? They’ll never know! Paced briskly at only two hours, it’s one of the shorter films on this list — but longer comedies are hard to come by, and this one has it all: Action, suspense and plenty of heart. But that’s just, like, my opinion, man.
The Irishman (2019)
Where to Watch: Netflix
Synopsis: In 1950s Pennsylvania, war veteran Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) meets mobster Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci) and quickly becomes his right-hand man before getting sent to Chicago with the task of helping labor/crime leader Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino). What follows is a decades-spanning story of mentorship and betrayal that culminates in one of the most poignant endings director Martin Scorsese has ever put to film.
Endorsement: The first and only time I watched The Irishman—Scorsese’s exceptional but daunting, mammoth-sized film—was upon its Thanksgiving Day release in 2019. I was visiting my grandparents and was excited to bring up the idea of watching it to them for two main reasons. Firstly, I felt that their enormous, 4K UHD Smart LED TV was, at the time, the most justice I’d be able to give Rodrigo Prieto’s incredible cinematography, as the movie wasn’t playing in theaters anywhere near me. Secondly—and perhaps most importantly—my grandfather’s taste is relegated to one thing, and one thing only: Period epics. Unfortunately, most of the ones he chooses to watch whenever we finish dinner and there’s little else to do…well, they suck. On my previous visit, we had watched Nicholas Cage wrestle CGI sharks in USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage because he refused to put anything else on (it was one of the worst experiences of my entire life). But, long story short, he loved The Irishman—a stately crime drama with something to chew on—and I did too. That alone makes it one of the most “grandpa-proof” films on this list.
The Exorcist (1973)
Where to Watch: VOD
Synopsis: Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) turns to a priest, Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), when her 12-year-old daughter Regan (Linda Blair), starts showing signs of demonic possession. All the while, strange occurrences take place in the local area of Georgetown—events that may or may not be connected to the MacNeils’ troubles.
Endorsement: The Exorcist is not a scary movie. Don’t get me wrong—it’s a phenomenal film, and easily the best film about an exorcism ever made. Look no further than the hundreds of “best-of” horror lists that rank it up or near the top, or the film’s ubiquity in modern culture (it’s become a common reference point, appearing everywhere from political cartoons to SNL parodies in the decades since its release). Not being scary doesn’t mean it’s aged badly, or that it’s ineffective—the film’s chilly atmosphere is without a doubt one of the best things about it, and its practical effects remain as astonishing as ever. But it’s also very much a melodrama punctuated by moments of spectacle; seeing the monster on-screen so often makes it pretty easy to get used to. As such, the dread permeating from Reagan’s worsening condition and the lingering reminders of death that Karras encounters constantly that get you more than the demon Pazuzu ever does. It’s a good thing, then, that the movie has a (mostly) happy ending. While I’m not recommending that you watch The Exorcist with your children, I do maintain that this elegant, autumnal film makes an easy group watch, likely to please anyone in the mood for a classic.
Love and Basketball (2000)
Where to Watch: Tubi
Synopsis: Quincy “Q” McCall (Omar Epps) and Monica Wright (Sanaa Lathan) have known each other since childhood but have never been more than platonic friends, bonding over their mutual love for basketball. As they near their high school graduation, however, something shifts—and soon enough, they’re college sweethearts, both star players on their respective teams at the University of South Carolina. However, their love is put to the test when developments both personal and professional threaten to come between them.
Endorsement: You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who’s seen Love and Basketball and doesn’t like it. Written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, this classic romantic dramedy has it all: Charm (see: the chemistry between its two magnetic—and incredibly attractive—leads), spectacle (the expertly choreographed game sequences) and suspense (the will-they-won’t-they dynamic, which seriously keeps you on your toes until the very last scene). Like The Big Lebowski, it’s not super long at just 124 minutes, but films of its ilk tend to run shorter. No need to worry—Prince-Bythewood makes sure to spend every second wisely, making it feel like you really were along for the ride in the back seat of Q’s convertible the whole time. Even if some aspects of Love and Basketball have not aged well in typical rom-com fashion (that the movie lets Q off the hook so easily has understandably been the subject of many thinkpieces since the film’s release), Monica’s journey is still an empowering one. Roger Ebert said it best. “It is a sports film seen mostly from the woman’s point of view,” he wrote in his review of the movie. “It’s honest and perceptive about love and sex, with no phony drama and a certain quiet maturity. And here’s the most amazing thing: It considers sports in terms of career, training, motivation and strategy.”
Prisoners (2013)
Where to Watch: Netflix
Synopsis: Two families suffer the same tragedy one Thanksgiving: The disappearance of their nine-year-old daughters. Aggravated by a the police’s apparent inability to find the kidnapper, a desperate father (Hugh Jackman) decides to take matters into his own hands, but finds himself going to extreme lengths to protect his family.
Endorsement: Having celebrated its 10-year anniversary in September, Prisoners is the ultimate Thanksgiving watch. At two-and-a-half hours, it is, of course, long enough to block a good chunk of the afternoon or evening—and it’s got something for everyone. Where your resident film buff is likely to get hooked by the craft (it was directed by Denis Villeneuve, shot by Roger Deakins and stars Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano and Forest Whitaker at the tops of their game), more easygoing viewers may find solace in the attractiveness of its two leads (playing an over-caffeinated, tattooed detective, Gyllenhaal might be the hottest he’s ever been here). It’s an excellent thrill ride for anyone who’s able to stay awake after second helpings of pumpkin pie—but a basic plot summary of the film doesn’t take more than two minutes to explain, meaning it’s no problem if you don’t quite make it through nap-free. And while the best Thanksgiving movies don’t need to take place during the holiday, doing so definitely gains them extra points. Though you can’t go wrong with any film on this list, it also doesn’t get more ideal than Prisoners, folks.
With that, I wish you a happy Thanksgiving—may you feast your eyes on something great after eating your heart out this holiday.
Ursula Muñoz S. is a critic, journalist and MFA candidate at Boston University who has previously written for news and entertainment outlets in Canada and the United States. Her work has appeared at Xtra, Cineaste, Bright Wall/Dark Room and more. For further reading, feel free to follow her on Substack and X, where she muses about Taylor Swift and Pedro Almodóvar (among other things).