Four Christmases ReviewsFour Christmases
A COUPLE STRUGGLES TO VISIT ALL FOUR OF THEIR DIVORCED PARENTS ON CHRISTMAS DAY.When your significant other tells you you both need an exit “safe word” before you enter his dad’s Christmas gathering, you know you’re not in Bedford Falls. But while Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon may not be It’s a Wonderful Life’s George and Mary Bailey, Four Christmases is a modern holiday classic in its own right. For one thing, every family neurosis and dysfunction have taken root in the four families of Va
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(out of 106 reviews)
Review by Michael Zuffa for Four Christmases
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Brad (Vaughn) and Kate (Witherspoon) are heading to Figi for Christmas so they do not have to spend time with their family. A dense fogbank grounds all flights out of San Francisco and destroys their plans. A local television report from the airport seals their fate, and soon they are off to see their families – Brad’s divorced mom and dad and Kate’s divorced mom and dad. Brad’s dad (Duvall) and brothers (Favreau and McGraw) are hell on Brad, but Kate finds amusement in his discomfort. Kate’s mom (Steenburgen) is a bit of a cougar, making things uncomfortable for everyone. By the time they have survived Brad’s mom (Spacek), their relationship is hanging by a thread. Kate’s dad is not so bad, but by then it may just be too late.
“Four Christmases” is a pretty funny holiday film. Vaughn and Witherspoon are two likeable, funny leads. A star-studded supporting cast keeps the humor coming as well. The humor is of the squirmy, uncomfortable kind. You feel bad for these two as they are forced to deal with their families. This is an entertaining film for fans of holiday movies. If you are in the mood for something Christmassy, check it out.
Review by J. Bledsoe for Four Christmases
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Resulting from a Fiji flight cancellation, Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) are forced to act out a Christmas tradition: visiting their families. Although Brad and Kate have been dating for three years (and are currently living together), neither one of them has met the other’s parents. And for good reason.
Including Brad’s mishap with a satellite dish, Kate’s upsetting several babies and even an overly evangelical performance of the nativity, the four-stop tour to each of their divorced parents’ houses is exaggerated to say the least.
In typical fashion, the parents are eager to share baby and childhood pictures with their child’s significant other. This causes some complications for Brad and Kate when they each discover that neither one of them has been completely honest about their childhoods. Some of the epiphanies are more or less embarrassing than others, but ultimately the arguments drive away Brad and Kate’s perfectly pre-rehearsed happiness during the first scene of “Four Christmases.”
There is little chemistry between Vaughn and Witherspoon. This may have been intentional, to show the deterioration of their relationship. Nonetheless, Vaughn is guilty of his trademark outbursts of hilarity. Vaughn is the master of unknowing misunderstanding and resulting miscommunication. As in “The Break Up,” his and his cohabitating co-star’s connection breaks down in the face of his never-ending, albeit hilarious, soliloquies.
Witherspoon plays a fairly comedic role as well, although Vaughn overshadows her (literally). Kate does, however, offer most of the substance of the movie, ruing past Christmases spent away from family and contemplating the future of Brad’s and her relationship.
The all-star cast holds the film together. Brad’s parents are played by Robert Duvall and Sissy Spacek, while Kate’s parents are played by Jon Voight and Mary Steenburgen. In a way, both fathers and both mothers play the same role. The mothers are very welcoming to their child’s better half, while also being overtly sexually open and thus entertaining for audiences. The fathers, on the other hand, offer the most advice and life lessons, causing Brad and Kate to realize the importance of family.
The siblings are also worthy of mention. Brad’s brothers, played by Tim McGraw and Jon Favreau, execute their cage fighting routine on Brad when he arrives to exchange gifts. Kate’s sister, Kristin Chenoweth, brings out Kate’s motherly tendencies while simultaneously embarrassing her with sisterly teasing. In his role as Pastor Phil (Dwight Yoakam), Kate’s mother’s boyfriend, is undoubtedly an amusement.
The couple’s four Christmases are a lesson in the reality and difficulty of relationships. However, with a year-later scene tacked on the end, the viewer questions how much Brad and Kate actually learned from their previous holiday.
Review by ! MR. KNOW IT ALL ;-b for Four Christmases
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‘Four Christmases’ is the kind of film that offers nothing new, but because of some hilarious performances feels better than if should be. We all know where this film is going from the word go, but Vaughn, Witherspoon and an wide assortment of stars playing their families just go all out and score big on the laugh meter. Even though this film is in a Christmas setting, I didn’t feel it to be a “Holiday” film. I think this film can be enjoyed anytime of year. 4 stars is probably a little too high of a rating, but I haven’t laughed this hard in a while! Thanks FM and Andrew for pointing this one out to me!
Review by Demario Moore for Four Christmases
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I would not call this a Christmas movie. You could take away the holiday aspect and the movie would still be funny. Both Vince and Reese are true veterans. They no how to take an ok script and turn it into a decent movie. The biggest problem with the film is that it really holds back. These are the same people that created the movie Stepbrothers which was hilarious because it was so over the top. This movie seems afraid to just let everything hang out. I would definately not buy this one. Just download it off the net. It’s funny but definately nothing to run over anyone to see.
Review by Wiseguy 945 for Four Christmases
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I was not enthusiastic at first to see this movie, but was suprised that it actually was pretty funny. Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon play a couple of typical american couple that tries to hide their families from eachother…then the holidays hit. Not quite an “Old School” or “Wedding Crashers”, but this should get a few good chuckles for anybody.