Home for the Holidays (1995)

Home for the Holidays poster

Paramount Pictures
Starring: Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr., Anne Bancroft
Directed by: Jodie Foster

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: Claudia Larson (Holly Hunter) is a single mom facing unemployment and the prospect of her daughter coming of age who dreads facing the most terrifying thing of all … Thanksgiving with her family back home.

Purr Blur: Claudia’s mom Adele (Anne Bancroft) and father Henry (Charles Durning) pick her up at the airport. As they drive down the street towards their home a cat can just barely be seen crossing the street near the top of the hill.

Home for the Holidays - cat running across street way in background

Featured Feline: When Claudia arrives home her father, Henry (Charles Durning) enters the house. A large Maine Coon cat is sitting on the stair landing but jumps to the floor below when he passes.

Home for the Holidays - Frank Maine Coon cat on stair landing

Claudia stoops down to greet the cat named Frank. Frank coughs a little and Claudia wonders if he has a cold like her. Instead Frank hacks up a hairball and then walks away.

Home for the Holidays - Frank Maine Coon cat being petted by Claudia

Home for the Holidays - Frank Maine Coon cat hacking up hairball

Frank is seen several times in the film, mostly in the background as when he’s laying on the couch.

Home for the Holidays - Frank Maine Coon cat lying on couch

When Claudia’s brother, Tommy (Robert Downey Jr.) comes home he greets Frank in the kitchen by picking him up and yowling strangely at him. Tommy notes that Frank is not responding at all when he sees his mother and sets the cat down before moving on to her.

Home for the Holidays - Frank Maine Coon cat being held up by Tommy Robert Downey Jr.

Home for the Holidays - Frank Maine Coon cat being held up by Tommy Robert Downey Jr. animated gif

Later Claudia is distressed when she finds out that Russell Terziak (David Strathairn), a former boyfriend whom she rejected, is working on the heater. Frank is sitting next to Russell as he works.

Home for the Holidays - Frank Maine Coon cat sitting next to Russell David Strathairn

When the family is gathered in the living room before dinner, Aunt Glady (Geraldine Chaplin) is seen scooping the filling from a piece of celery to give to Frank before eating the plain celery herself.

Home for the Holidays - Frank Maine Coon cat sitting on coffee table with family

Home for the Holidays - Frank Maine Coon cat getting stuff off top of celery

Towards the end of the film, Claudia wakes up the morning after Thanksgiving and walks to the window. Frank is sitting on the windowsill and she pets him.

Home for the Holidays - Frank Maine Coon cat on window ledge with Claudia Holly Hunter