Fact Check: Is Nutcrackers based on a true story? Explained

Modified Nov 30, 2024 03:23 GMT

Ben Stiller (Image via Youtube/Hulu) — Ben Stiller as Mike Maxwell (Image via Youtube/Hulu)

Nutcrackers is a comedy-drama film directed by David Gordon Green from a screenplay by Leland Douglas. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year and was released digitally on Hulu on November 29, 2024.

The film marks the return of Ben Stiller as an actor after several years. He plays a real estate agent in Chicago who has to move to a small farm in Ohio to look after four siblings, after the death of their parents. The film is not based on a true story but was inspired by four real-life siblings who are playing themselves.

Apart from Ben Stiller and the real-life brothers, Atlas, Arlo, Ulysses, and Homer Janson, the film also features Linda Cardellini, Toby Huss, and Edi Patterson in prominent roles.

Nutcrackers is not based on a true story

Nutcrackers tells the story of Mike Maxwell, an uppity and workaholic real estate agent based in Chicago who is close to cracking the biggest deal of his life. However, he has to relocate to the chaotic farm life of Ohio, after the death of his sister and her husband. They leave behind their four young boys, Justice, Junior, Samuel, and Simon.

The boys have unique personalities and share a love for mischief, which Mike has to deal with all by himself. As mentioned before, the film is not based on a true story. The child actors who play the four siblings were the inspiration behind the film by director Gordon Green. They are the children of Karey Williams, a friend of Green's.

Green has always been fascinated by their real-life dynamic, which inspired him to write a film with the four brothers. However, the plot of the film is fictional. The siblings have not been orphaned and both their parents are alive and were involved with the production of the film.

When and where to watch Nutcrackers?

Nutcrackers opened the Toronto International Film Festival of 2024 and was later released digitally on Hulu on November 29, 2024. Viewers can watch the film with a subscription to the streaming platform.

Hulu provides a variety of plans for its users at different price rates. The ad-supported plan costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. Eligible students can get this plan for $1.99 per month. Hulu ad-free plan costs $18.99 per month.

Apart from the simple subscription, there are many add-on plans that a user can opt for according to their preference. Partner add-ons, Premium add-ons, and Live TV add-ons are available at different price ranges. The rate of subscription also varies according to the location of the user.