Fred Claus

Genre - Comedy
Year Released - 2007
Running Time - 115 minutes
Directed by David Dobkin (who also directed Clay Pigeons, Shanghai Knights, Wedding Crashers, and the upcoming DC movie The Flash in 2010)
Written by Dan Fogelman, (who co-wrote the screenplay for Pixar's Cars) and Jessie Nelson
Cast Includes:
Vince Vaughn (Old School, Dodgeball, Four Christmases, etc)
Paul Giamatti (Big Fat Liar and Lady in the Water - he will also be in next year's sequel to Bubba Ho-Tep ~ Bubba Nosferatu: Curse of the She-Vampires)
[Other notable cast members: Kathy Bates as Mother Claus, Rachel Weisz as Fred's girlfriend, Elizabeth Banks as Santa's Helper, and Kevin Spacey]

Rating: 3 Skulls

Plot Summary:

The joy and happiness of the holiday season is ruined for Santa Claus when his cranky older brother Fred comes to stay with him in the North Pole.

Always outdone by his saintlike brother, the bitter Fred (a repo man with a rap sheet) threatens to squash the spirit of Christmas.

Review:

After having recently watched Four Christmases, I was in the mood for another Vince Vaughn film, so I decided to try this one. . .

While not the best holiday film out there, I rather liked this one - it wasn't all that funny, however I liked the message.

The film starts off with the birth of Nicholas, Fred's younger brother, who we all know grows up to be St. Nick - aka Santa Claus. As Nicholas heads towards sainthood, getting all of the positive attention from his parents, Fred becomes resentful and leaves home. [At this point we learn that one of the rules of sainthood is that all family members, spouses included, freeze in time]

Time then jumps ahead, to the present, where Fred is a Repo man [who's company name is Repo-a-go-go] After Fred gets into some trouble, he has to call on his brother for help. . .

Fred calls this the very smurfy Smurf hut! :-)

Doesn't Giamatti look great as Santa?

My wife did not enjoy the film as much as I did. One of the things they did was make Christmas like a Corporate Business, where Santa and the elves had quotas to make, etc. My wife didn't like this aspect, even though that is basically what Christmas has become! So, the film may not be for everyone. I'll leave it up to you to decide. . .

Here's the Trailer:


Jason