In David Gordon Green's Nutcrackers, Ben Stiller is forced to care for his recently orphaned nephews, four long-haired, shaggy creatures who run loose on their family farm. As Stiller's character, a lonely city slicker named Michael, works to find foster homes for the boys, he comes to realize that he needs them as much as they need him.
Ben Stiller Discusses Filming on the Chaotic Farm Set of 'Nutcrackers'
It’s a rare feel-good comedy without much sarcasm or darkness, and it charmed TIFF on opening night. As the film searches for a buyer, Stiller and Green expressed a strong desire to see the film released in theaters rather than streaming, and they questioned why sincere comedies have been largely absent from Hollywood over the past decade.
“There’s been a cynicism around comedies for the last decade, and it’s been a few years since we’ve really had a movie that drew audiences to the theater and made them laugh out loud, that was that simple,” Green said at Variety’s Toronto Film Festival Studio, sponsored by J.Crew and SharkNinja.
While “Nutcrackers” is looking for a buyer at TIFF, Stiller and Green have openly expressed their desire for the family-friendly comedy to premiere in theaters rather than on streaming.
