‘Dutch’ Is The Best Thanksgiving Movie

Do you know that John Hughes made another Thanksgiving movie besides Planes, Trains and Automobiles and that it too involves a wacky road trip that brings together two strangers heading home for the holidays? If not, you’re in for a treat. Written by John Hughes and directed by Crocodile Dundee filmmaker Peter Faiman, Dutch is a twisted family comedy that will make you appreciate any loving and functional relatives that you might have.

In a rare big-screen leading role, the expectedly charming Ed O’ Neill stars as Dutch Dooley, a blue-collar Chicago contractor and all-around good guy, who falls hard for the recently divorced Natalie (the lovely JoBeth Williams). After her rich, terrible ex-husband (played with gusto by Christopher McDonald) decides to shack up with his girlfriend instead of spending time with their son on Thanksgiving, Dutch comes to the rescue. To cement his relationship with Natalie, he heads down to Georgia to pick up her son Doyle at his exclusive prep school and drive him back to Chicago so they can get to know each other. Good plan, right?

Little does Dutch know, but Doyle (honestly an Oscar-worthy performance by Ethan Embry née Randall), is a hostile spoiled brat, hell bent on making Dutch’s life miserable all the way to Chicago. No question about it: Doyle is off-putting AF. Feeling abandoned by his father, whom he mistakenly idealized, and angry at his mother because he blames her for the divorce, he misdirects his rage at the nearest innocent bystander—Dutch. Through Embry’s nuanced performance, the moments when Doyle is vulnerable (like when he wrecks Dutch’s car to exact revenge) are transformative. Embry subtly reminds the audience that we are watching a scared little boy trying to cope with separation anxiety, not some little hellion.

Did I say Doyle wrecks Dutch’s car for the heck of it? You bet I did! There are hijinks galore in this movie. The two unlikely companions survive bb gun shootings, fireworks accidents, attacks involving karate chops, hitchhiking mishaps, and robbery by hookers (seriously!) while hurling vicious insults at each other. Inevitably, as they share these ordeals, Doyle and Dutch grow to understand and depend on one another. In the movie’s most telling sequence, the two unlikely friends spend the night in a shelter for displaced families.

After showing off his table manners:

Doyle shares his roll with a little girl next to him:

It’s a cathartic moment for both the audience and Dutch. Ed O’Neill plays the moment brilliantly, recognizing the drastic change in Doyle as a person. He smiles proudly, but with an air of caution. Through the course of the film, O’Neill displays all of Dutch’s complex feelings—surprise, anger, disappointment, trust and finally hope—subtly but with aplomb. He makes us believe that Dutch is indeed capable of staying one step ahead of the kid. As with all good holiday movies, Dutch ends with our heroes triumphant and united. Doyle forgives his mother, rebuffs his father (who returns and is disgraced) and accepts Dutch into his life. However, Dutch has one last score to settle with a BB gun…

Dutch is a Thanksgiving movie with a serious bite—perfect for the family looking for some not-so-wholesome but still festive entertainment.

Where to stream Dutch