Four Christmases

Four Christmases-2008

In the last few years, newer holiday films have fallen into two categories: the new classics (Elf, The Polar Express, Bad Santa) and the more common, mass of horrible messes (Surviving Christmas, Christmas With the Kranks, Deck the Halls, The Santa Clause 2 & 3, Black Christmas, etc. etc.) This holiday, Four Christmases attempts to be considered among the classics, yet ends up somewhere in between these two extremes.

Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon play Brad and Kate, a couple of three years with no evolution in their relationship since its inception. Every holiday they avoid their families and vacation in Boca or Fiji or whatever tropical climate that suits them that year. But after a sudden fog cancels any flights and an unfortunate incident with a local news station, the pair must visit all four of their estranged parents during the holidays.

The premise is unique enough, but really borders too close to recent other “Frat Pack” films such as Meet the Parents/Fockers and Wedding Crashers, but onliy in a “hey this awkwardly-not-fitting-in-with-the-family idea seems familiar” sort of way.

It has been made public that Reese Witherspoon was not a fan of Vince Vaughn’s improv-heavy take on the script and actually walked out on some days on the set. That being sad, Vaughn and Witherspoon have little, if any, chemistry. Every delivery between the two almost seems dripping with disdain and contempt for each other. The one who seems left out in this exchange is Witherspoon. While everyone else seems ready to play off Vaughn and see where he goes next, Witherspoon just seems perturbed. As Vaughn says in a nativity recreation in the film, acting is reacting, and Witherspoon does not seem willing to take the advice.

Vaughn does supply most of the jokes in this film, even though his schtick is getting a bit dry by now. But he’s still fresh enough to hold this film together. However after Vaughn’s last film 2007’s Christmas disaster, Fred Claus, anything he does is going to be an improvement.

The real surprise is the incredible laundry list of cameos and appearances that pop up. The parents, played by Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight and Mary Steenburgen, all seem like suitable parents for the main stars. The cameos also feature a literal who’s who of Vaughn’s friends and hilarious random appearances. Jon Favreau and Tim McGraw are close to unrecognizable as Vaughn’s brothers, as well as great appearances from Dwight Yoakam and Kristin Chenoweth. And for fans of last year’s incredible documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, which Four Christmases director Seth Gordon also directed, a blink and you miss it appearance by Donkey Kong record-breaker Steve Wiebe is a great addition.

The biggest disappointment of Four Christmases is that is starts off as a daring, dark Christmas comedy, but the more the film goes on, the more formulaic and predictable it becomes. It starts off dark, but gets lighter with every passing minute. In a year that has brought some great R-rated comedies that utilize that rating instead of considering it a hindrance, it is a shame that Four Christmases could not do something similar.

In the first five minutes, you know exactly how Brad and Kate are going to end up. And as a holiday film, it is not the worst you can do. Four Christmases brings enough laugh-out-loud moments and surprises that make this worth a watch, however a rental may be sufficient. Fortunately, Vaughn and a great ensemble cast give this film just enough from being another Grinch in the usual mix of holiday films.

Rating: B-