Very few Christmas themed movies ever cross pass my radar and if it hadn’t have been for the amazing cast of this film FOUR CHRISTMASES I wouldn’t have taken another look. It’s hard for a holiday film to outshine the classics such as IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, and A CHRISTMAS STORY and A CHRISTMAS CAROLE or even the darker NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION and SCROOGED, so why bother. I’ve seen all THE SANTA CLAUSES and JINGLE ALL THE WAY and HOME ALONE films that I can stomach and therefore I’ve skipped just about every holiday film to come out within the pass decade (with the exception of A NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS). So what made me go see FOUR CHRISTMASES you might ask? How about Robert Duvall. Sissy Spacek. Mary Steenburgen. Carol Cane. And I could include in that list Jon Voight, Dwight Yoakam, Tim McGraw, and let’s not forget the stars of the film Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon. Now that’s an impressive cast.
FOUR CHRISTMASES is the story of unmarried couple Brad and Kate (Vaughn and Witherspoon, respectively) who don’t believe in the union of marriage due to their fractured family life. In fact, instead of spending the holidays with their families they’d rather go to the islands and spend their holidays in the sun scuba diving, but when their flight is cancelled due to weather they are forced to visit each of their estranged parents and siblings in the course of one day. As they come to terms with their families they must also decide whether or not to take the next step in their own relationship or watch it whither and die away.
Like most holiday films the theme of family is very present (is there any other theme for a holiday movie I ask you). The gimmick of having the couple go to four different Christmases over one day is hectic yet works for the film and gives the tired-old-Christmas story a kick in the ass. There are many funny moments in the film as both Brad and Kate are forced to learn things about each other that they never knew simply because they’ve never really taken their relationship serious enough. Vaughn and Witherspoon have great on-screen chemistry with one another which is good considering that they are on screen every second of the movie and with all the cameos in the film no one over stays their welcome too long. Director Seth Gordon does a great job balancing out all the different elements and stories within the film creating a film that I can honestly say I enjoyed.
Christmas-holiday films may not be my thing but FOUR CHRISTMASES is a film I don’t mind adding to my list of classics.
FOUR CHRISTMASES is the story of unmarried couple Brad and Kate (Vaughn and Witherspoon, respectively) who don’t believe in the union of marriage due to their fractured family life. In fact, instead of spending the holidays with their families they’d rather go to the islands and spend their holidays in the sun scuba diving, but when their flight is cancelled due to weather they are forced to visit each of their estranged parents and siblings in the course of one day. As they come to terms with their families they must also decide whether or not to take the next step in their own relationship or watch it whither and die away.
Like most holiday films the theme of family is very present (is there any other theme for a holiday movie I ask you). The gimmick of having the couple go to four different Christmases over one day is hectic yet works for the film and gives the tired-old-Christmas story a kick in the ass. There are many funny moments in the film as both Brad and Kate are forced to learn things about each other that they never knew simply because they’ve never really taken their relationship serious enough. Vaughn and Witherspoon have great on-screen chemistry with one another which is good considering that they are on screen every second of the movie and with all the cameos in the film no one over stays their welcome too long. Director Seth Gordon does a great job balancing out all the different elements and stories within the film creating a film that I can honestly say I enjoyed.
Christmas-holiday films may not be my thing but FOUR CHRISTMASES is a film I don’t mind adding to my list of classics.
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