WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING...
"Just when you think you've seen everything a movie can offer, along comes "The Dissection of Thanksgiving." You laugh. You cry. It’s a complex, wonderfully written, well-defined picture of how we decide to make the decisions we make. Again, it’s not just about divorce. It’s about attraction, relationships in family, the weirdness we see in our brothers and sisters, and coming to terms with the decisions we make. This is a MUST SEE film. Get it. Sit back. Relax and pick and choose the characters that remind you most of someone in your family. Superb acting! Best film I've seen in years."
-Hollywood.com
"A fiercely original script, written by actors troy hall and kevin logie(who portray the adult brothers), is the root of this dark, outrageous, hilarious exploration of how one impending divorce can affect every element of family life. the dissection of thanksgiving pushes the family reunion film into a hysterical, emotional free-fall. director rafael monserrate lets the action play out like the finale of an insane symphony, controlling the underlying fever pitch with just the right amount of restraint. the performances of the ensemble cast help make this a mesmerizing, at times disturbing comedy."
-shaz bennett, afi-la
"The Dissection of Thanksgiving, is billed as a comedy, but it's much, much deeper than that. It's a look into 48 hours of a family's life and understanding a lot of the baggage the family members have carried with them throughout the years of their life. The comedy of TDoT comes not from stupid jokes or being clever. It's from situations many families have seen themselves in: fathers who can't share their emotions, brothers who can't get along and fight every chance they get, an older brother who's in love with his younger adopted sister. Okay, we don't see that one so much, but it's a part of this movie. I loved the casting in this movie, and the two brothers Charles and Robby (Kevin Logie and Troy Hall) were also the writers and producers of the movie. Kathleen Quinlan and Jay Sanders are immediately recognizable to anyone who has watched TV or movies in the past year, and did an excellent job playing 50-something parents who realize they have been roommates more than they've been spouses. Funny in the best parts, dramatic and awkward in others, I loved TDoT, and recommend it to anyone looking for a solid movie."
-Erik Deckers, Indyfest.com
"So now, finally, I want to conclude with “The Dissection of Thanksgiving,” the film that, in my view, was the best of the festival. And it’s not only my view because the film won the Audience Award for Best Film as well as the Jury Award for Best Original Screenplay. Set in 1987, the hilarious “TDoT” explores a dysfunctional family. The adopted daughter is sleeping with her vulgar, one-handed boss; the older son works the overnight shift at a radio station fielding calls from listeners who tell him he sucks; and the younger son has spent his whole life drifting from one unsuccessful project to the next (hmmm... do I know anyone like that?). Over the Thanksgiving holiday, the parents tell their children that they are getting divorced; hilarity ensues as deep-seated emotions surface in the wake of this announcement. The Eighties music that pervades the soundtrack, as well as the vintage clothing and hairstyles, may make you nostalgic for your childhood if, like me, you grew up in the Eighties. And the witty dialogue will keep you in stitches. I look forward to the time it will be playing nationwide and I’ll be able to see it again."
-Jonathan Chisdes, www.chizfilm.com
"It’s the rare film that can deliver gut-busting laughter and honest emotion, but director Rafael Monserrate and writers Troy Hall and Kevin Logie (who star as the two brothers) manage that delicate balance perfectly. Cap it off with wonderful performances (Quinlan reminds us why she got her Oscar nomination) and a rockin’ 80s soundtrack and you have a heartfelt and hilarious tribute to the rise and decline of the American family."
-Brian Owens, Head of the Nashville Film Festival