|  | | | Customer Reviews: | | | Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
 You can't spell "families" without "LIES" Mar 08, 2010
I thought Four Christmases was pretty funny. Stupid humor to be sure, but entertaining. The plot revolves around a dating couple who has to visit the households of their divorced parents - four houses in all. Each family unit has its own idiosyncrasies and grief. One of the things I liked about the film was that, in using four families, it seemed to capture so many of the awkward situations that make Christmas so uncomfortable for people - from showing old photo albums to introducing new boyfriends. The situations were pretty extreme to be sure, but also captured something of the truth of families. The best line was Robert Duvall's: "You can't spell families without LIES." That sums it up.
Reese Witherspoon gives a terrific performance, as always. However, I was pleasantly surprised that, with some exceptions, the rest of the cast was equally strong, including Robert Duvall and Jon Voight. I thought Vince Vaughn was a disappointment, as he usually is. He fits some comedic roles, but his range isn't wide enough. I just had trouble seeing him as the yuppie lawyer he was supposed to be in the film. He had some funny roles, but also seemed to be trying too hard.
Vaughn's casting for the co-lead role, plus the film's denouement, forced me to give the film 4 rather than 5 stars. I felt like the movie died down near the end. It became predictable and boring, with the inevitable fight and reconciliation. Worst of all, it lost its comedic nature. We don't need a lesson in family morals and encouraging people to get married and have kids. The movie should have ended on a high rather than a low. Alas.
1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
This Christian says it was certainly OK Mar 01, 2010
At one point I almost choked to death while laughing. Good enough for me. This is merely a funny and silly movie, with no malice toward Christianity or anyone else. I was not insulted or offended, and trust me, I know when they are out to insult me. Which is often! For 90 minutes I was amused, entertained, surprised, and tickled. The Nativity and Christ are not what is being made fun of here folks, and if you cannot tell the difference, you are in trouble. What is being satirized is the gooey cultish worship service that venerates the charismatic pastor, thrives on emotion, and celebrates glitz rather than Christ. And to put a couple of self-absorbed jerks into this stage play makes perfect sense in the context of this tale. A Christian should be offended by the pastor's behavior, not that of the yuppies. He should know better; they don't.
The supporting cast was glorious, with nearly everyone working their weirdo mojo perfectly. Robert Duvall and Sissy Spacek ARE their characters, filling every nook and cranny of personhood with a believable and real behavior. Kristin Chenoweth, so wonderful in Pushing Daisies, is again sufficiently bubbly to be engaging and sufficiently odd to be quite offputting. She is a hoot! Where Four Christmases failed with me was in the stars themselves. Both Vince and Reese didn't really inhabit these roles. Any comparable actor/actress could have played these parts with the same oomph.
But this is minor. With lots of belly laughs, lots of fiendishly clever throw-away lines, (my favorite, "And how are you, little lady?") and enough sight gags to populate a Laurel and Hardy festival, this film offered a quality evening's entertainment. Much like "The Hangover", it was far better than it had any business being.
 Funny Feb 23, 2010
Brad and Kate have a great relationship. They do everything together but they are both in it for fun and because of the parents failed relationships don't want to take it to the next level. They get stuck going to each of their four parents homes on Christmas, instead of going on vacation as they had planned. The visits help them realize that they don't know a lot about each other. Over the course of the movie they learn more about each other and ultimately decide to take it to the next level. This movie was so funny. I about jumped out of my seat when at one point Kate's infant nephew vomits all over her and then Brad starts gagging. Too many other funny things to tell. You'll just have to watch it for yourself.
Four Christmases Review Feb 13, 2010
FOUR CHRISTMASES
STARRING: Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Tim McGraw, Jon Favreau, Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight, Mary Steenburgen, Dwight Yoakam, Kristin Chenoweth and Katy Mixon
WRITTEN BY: Matt Allen, Caleb Wilson, Jon Lucas and Scott Moore
DIRECTED BY: Seth Gordon
Rated: PG-13
Genre: Comedy
Release Date: 26 November 2008
Producers must have mind-splitting aneurisms trying to place a co-star next to Vince Vaughn. The guy is a power-house of talent and very few actors can carry scenes with him, let alone entire movies. Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson and John Favreau have been the most successful at this.
While I absolutely adore her, Reese Witherspoon falls short comically in this film. It isn't her fault as her character clearly was not given as much attention as Vaughn's in the script; but the film suffers from it nonetheless. Other than this and a few over the top slap-stick elements that could have been shaved down, the film is a blast to watch.
The opening scene was classic and couldn't have been better. It's laugh out-loud funny and gets the movie going quick and in a hurry.
Vaughn plays Brad and Witherspoon is his girlfriend Kate. They agree to ditch-out on their families and head to somewhere tropical for Christmas. Their plan seemed flawless until they are interviewed at the airport, on live television and their families see the broadcast. They told their loved ones they had other plans as to why they wouldn't be able to make it for Christmas, and now the cat is out of the bag.
As all four of their parents are no longer married, they must drive to four different houses in order to please everyone.
Everything goes horribly wrong from one house to the next and we learn more about Brad and Kate through their families. It seems the two have had some non-transparent issues lurking in their relationship, and the comedy feeds on them.
Their families are terrifically cast with a huge A-list range of names all the way from Robert Duvall to Jon Voight. When you take into consideration how little screen time there is for each side character, you really appreciate the chemistry everyone had in the film.
My favorite scene was meeting Brad's mother (Sissy Spacek) and her new boyfriend who used to be Brad's best friend. This guy was such a creep and you felt Brad's pain as he tried to hold back from strangling this guy, as he made inappropriate comments and gestures. Jon Favreau joins the scene as one of Brad's crazy brothers Denver. He has a ridiculous haircut and the personality of a 10-year-old problem child. Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn together is about as good as it gets, in any movie.
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Four Christmases Feb 13, 2010
Ick. what an odd bunch. Too much! I got this on recommendation of a co-worker but the families in this are sooo odd!
|
| |
|
![Four Christmases [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51gtzkYeo9L._SL160_.jpg "Four Christmases [Blu-ray]")
![Firefly: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51734pRq2%2BL._SL75_.jpg "Firefly: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]")
![Gattaca [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VfE5rU9OL._SL75_.jpg "Gattaca [Blu-ray]")
![Resident Evil [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51m8P3lO%2BnL._SL75_.jpg "Resident Evil [Blu-ray]")
![Run Lola Run [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51gTXpHYF7L._SL75_.jpg "Run Lola Run [Blu-ray]")
