A family gathers for Thanksgiving in Vermont just as they always gather for Thanksgiving in Vermont. Some of them fly thousands of miles to be there; others simply walk across the pasture. But it turns out that both trips require their own kind of bravery. The sexiest James Bond, Chekhov’s Seagull, the politics of Attila the Hun, and a drink known as Liquid Baby Ruth all play a part in holding a family together while also holding them back. Sometimes the people who are missing are just as present as the people who gather around the table. The House That Jack Built is a clash of old traditions and new love; empty chairs and the people who threaten to fill them; and a family who prizes open arms, the sweet pursuit of happiness and the mysterious heartbreak that comes with getting what you think you want.