BEFORE: Finally starting my Christmas movies - I know I'm late, with just three days to go. At this point I have to hope that my family's presents will come to life and wrap themselves...who the heck put Christmas Eve on a Friday this year?
And I wish I'd known that both Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau were in the film "Rudy" - I would have scheduled that film to transition to this one. Let's just say I did that, OK?
THE PLOT: A couple struggles to visit all four of their divorced parents on Christmas Day.
AFTER: This film is about how your family is able to get under your skin and push your emotional buttons during the holidays, but as my ex-mother-in-law used to say, "You don't have to like your family, but you do have to love them."
The central couple in this film has chosen for years to avoid their families, and take a vacation together - which doesn't really address the problem. But when fog prevents their plane from taking off, and they're caught on TV, they're forced to come clean and spend the day with all four parents. Slapstick ensues as each parent's celebration puts them through the physical and emotional wringer, from wrestling matches to baby vomit to dredging up childhood insecurities.
There were a few chuckles, like an appearance in a revivalist Christmas pageant and a frustrating game of Taboo, but for the most part, this is designed to make your own Christmas journey seem like a cake-walk by comparison.
I suppose this is somewhat innovative, and timely for its portrayal of the holidays as they are celebrated by people with failed marriages and broken homes, and all of the lingering effects, but wait, isn't this supposed to be a comedy, and aren't comedies supposed to be, you know, funny?
The moral seems to be, "Don't get married", because all of the married and divorced people seem messed up in their own individual ways. Actually, that's the moral of a lot of films, and it's funny when you apply it to a movie on a different subject (i.e. "Saving Private Ryan").
I'll fall short of calling this film contemptible, since it is the spirit of giving - perhaps "misguided" is a better word...
My wife and I have our own holiday tradition - one evening after our jobs have essentially shut down for the holidays, and before we drive up to see my family, we go treat ourselves to dinner at the best restaurant we can think of. That happens tonight, and then I've got to go home and wrap gifts like crazy. But again, perfect timing.
Also starring Reese Witherspoon (last seen in "Pleasantville"), Robert Duvall (last seen in "Thank You For Smoking"), Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight (last seen in "Heat"), Mary Steenburgen (last seen in "I Am Sam"), Kristin Chenoweth (last seen in "Stranger than Fiction"), Tim McGraw, Dwight Yoakam (last seen in "Hollywood Homicide"), cameos from Colleen Camp, Peter Billingsley, Cedric Yarbough (from "Reno 911") and Brian Baumgartner (from "The Office").
RATING: 4 out of 10 photo albums
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