Nothing screams 1994 quite like John Stewart and Parker Posey rollerblading down a Venice Beach boardwalk. That's why Mixed Nuts is possibly the most underrated Christmas movie since Gremlins.
Stewart and Posey serve as merely a cameo at the dawn of their careers. The movie stars Steve Martin, Rita Wilson, and Madeline Kahn as employees of a nonprofit suicide hotline. When they receive an eviction notice on Christmas Eve, they're in desperate need of a miracle. The ensemble of eccentric characters that comes into their lives provides just such a miracle.
Liev Schreiber stars as a trans woman who calls the hotline. Desperate to escape her family, she visits the office and attempts to seduce Steve Martin with a slow dance. By the end of the film, she's smitten with a young Adam Sandler. His lovable goofball persona is nothing short of Sandler at the prime of his career.
The film also features Juliette Lewis as an angry pregnant woman. Although Christmas Vacation is a holiday classic, Lewis' role in Mixed Nuts is the epitome of everything we love about her. Her bittersweet performance ties the ensemble together in the best way.
There's also a killer soundtrack with Christmas music by Carly Simon, Aretha Franklin, and The O'Jays. Not to mention an original song by Sandler that you've probably never heard.
Mixed Nuts may not be the first film you think of when recalling your favorite '90s Christmas flicks, but it's about time it receives the acclaim it deserves. Do yourself a favor and make this a last minute addition to your Christmas list... Or at least your Netflix queue.
Watch the trailer for Mixed Nuts below:
