From Deseret News archives:

Only jeers for this Christmas clunker

Published: Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008 4:03 p.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
FOUR CHRISTMASES — * 1/2 — Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall; rated PG-13 (vulgarity, brief sex, violence, profanity, brief drugs, slurs).

It's both appropriate and ironic that "Four Christmases" ends with a vomit gag. After all, the film has already regurgitated so many sour romantic comedy and holiday movie cliches at that point that audiences may feel a little queasy themselves.

It's either that, or they'll be completely annoyed by this noxious, nearly laughless Christmas comedy, which also features the chemistry-free pairing of Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon. They play Brad and Kate, a pair of selfish yuppies in a committed, but so far non-marital, relationship.

The couple is planning to spend their Christmas in Fiji. But due to foggy conditions, their flight has been canceled for at least a day, and now they're obliged to at least pop in to see their families — four of them in all, due to divorces and such.

The problem is Brad and Kate lied about what they were doing (they said they were performing charitable work).

First up is Brad's white-trash father (Robert Duvall) and his two, ultimate-fighting-obsessed brothers (Tim McGraw and Jon Favreau), as well as his free-love-believing, hippie mother (Sissy Spacek).

Story continues below
Kate's folks aren't that much better — at least judging by her born-again Christian mother (Mary Steenburgen). Her father (Jon Voight) does seem normal, though.

There was rumored squabbling between Vaughn and Witherspoon on the set, and you can believe it. At times, you can sense there's real tension — not the good kind — between these two.

It doesn't help that he's repeating his motor-mouthed riffing routine, which has become tiresome.

About the only bright spots here are Kristin Chenoweth and longtime Vaughn associate Favreau. And it's sad to see that the veterans in the supporting cast — Duvall, Spacek, Steenburgen and Voight — were so desperate that they had to take this paycheck.

"Four Christmases" is rated PG-13 and features some crude sexual and digestive jokes and references (slang and sight gags), mostly comic violence (pratfalls, including household mishaps, as well as some brawling), a brief sex scene, scattered strong profanity, brief drug references (narcotics), and some derogatory language (including slurs based on sexual preference). Running time: 89 minutes.


E-mail: jeff@desnews.com

Recent comments

A Christmas story with non-stop put downs... just what the world...

Anonymous | Nov. 28, 2008 at 3:52 p.m.

Dezhda Gaubert of E online wrote:

"The movie tries to be a...

Screen Age | Nov. 26, 2008 at 7:42 p.m.

I preemptively hated this film, just from watching the previews....

JVC-RSL | Nov. 26, 2008 at 10:15 a.m.

Image
John P. Johnson, Warner Bros. Pictures

Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon in "Four Christmases."

previousnext

Latest comments

BYU to wear royal blue uniforms

Royal > Navy

Barkley says Boozer is big problem

Who do you imagine in your fantasy Jazz viewing that is going to be more...

Innocent???? NO!! Let's start believing our victims here and not...

BCS did TCU a favor?

I dont like the Deseret Duel. its lame like that blonde holding the trophy at...

BYU to wear royal blue uniforms

If I want to dress for success I will wear dark blue. If I want to show that...

I was at BYU when Cleveland came. He really did turn things around. He...

Barkley says Boozer is big problem

Boozer will be gone before the season ends, after all he continues to...

Van Gundy marvels over Sloan

NBA coaches of good teams would love for Sloan to keep coaching. They know...

this article makes me ashamed i went to byu. how is that a real university?...

Dear Jumbo and Classic. Oh, how negative you are. I can just imagine you as...

Advertisements