Unfortunately, this is a broad family comedy that depends on odd sound effects (zonks! splat!) during every scene...
Fred Claus (2007)
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Reviews Counted:134
Fresh:28
Rotten:106
Average Rating:4.2/10
Consensus: A slew of talent is wasted in this contrived and overly sentimental Christmas film, which can't quite get the balance between slapstick humor and sentimental family moments.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for mild language and some rude humor.
Runtime: 1 hr 56 mins
Genre: Childrens
Theatrical Release:30-11-2007
Synopsis: Sibling rivalry takes on a new dimension in director David Dobkin's (WEDDING CRASHERS, CLAY PIGEONS) third collaboration with actor Vince Vaughn, FRED CLAUS. Ever since his younger brother,... Sibling rivalry takes on a new dimension in director David Dobkin's (WEDDING CRASHERS, CLAY PIGEONS) third collaboration with actor Vince Vaughn, FRED CLAUS. Ever since his younger brother, Nicholas (Paul Giamatti), was born, it seems that nothing Fred Claus (Vince Vaughn) does is good enough. Nicholas literally becomes a saint and is beloved by millions worldwide, but Fred is just a regular Joe. When Fred finds himself in need of big money in a hurry, little brother Santa is the only one he can turn to. Soon, Fred is working at the North Pole to earn some quick cash and shaking things up with the elves to the delight of efficiency expert Clyde Northcutt (Kevin Spacey), who is on a mission to close down Santa's operation. Can the dueling Claus brothers work together to save Christmas? A sweet lesson is thrown in amongst the sibling rivalry and hijinx: there are really no naughty children at Christmas, just kids who may need a little or love or a second chance. Vaughn plays a character familiar to us now, fast-talking but likable with good intentions. He's at his best when teaching the elves the merits of rock & roll, or talking himself out of sticky situations. Giamatti is endearing as Santa Claus, who compensates for the stress of his job by overeating. Spacey's emotionally frozen Clyde Northcutt harks back to WILLY WONKA's Slugworth as a villain. Frank Stallone, Roger Clinton, and Stephen Baldwin appear in the film's funniest scene as siblings with rivalry issues. Rounding at the cast are Miranda Richardson as Santa's wife, Kathy Bates as Mother Claus, Elizabeth Banks as Santa's assistant, John Michael Higgins as Wiilie the Head Elf, Rachel Weisz as Fred's girlfriend, and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges as DJ Donnie. [More]
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Miranda Richardson, Elizabeth Banks
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Miranda Richardson, Elizabeth Banks, John Michael Higgins, Rachel Weisz, Kathy Bates, Kevin Spacey, Trevor Peacock, Ludacris
Director: David Dobkin
Director: David Dobkin
Screenwriter: Dan Fogelman
Story: Jessie Nelson, Dan Fogelman
Producer: Joel Silver, Jessie Nelson, David Dobkin
Composer: Christophe Beck
Studio: Warner Bros.
Reviews for Fred Claus
Does it make me a Scrooge to suggest that this is one piece of holiday coal you should leave in your stocking?
Fred Claus won't make us forget "Rudolph," "Frosty" or even "The Santa Clause."
It is a joyless rehash of old plots and jokes. File "Fred Claus" under lump of coal.
Paul Giamatti is forced to play Santa like a socially awkward version of Vince Vaughn
There are no laughs from the material, which wants to be edgy but can't go for broke because it's too busy being a trifling piece of holiday cheer but without the cheer.
While it tries to bring a new premise into the mix (Santa Claus has a cranky older brother), the result is just as humorless and stale as the Tim Allen's The Santa Clause trilogy.
Vince Vaughn's famously rude Wedding Crasher gets macho with Ludacris as a m-igitalized feisty Santa elf, while huddling over the pint-sized urinals in the john with another, to clue him about North Pole dirty dancing and romance.
Neither as terrible as it could be nor as funny as it should be, this is a painless way to catch a new holiday movie without getting into a fight about what part was the lamest.
Watching this kind of talent forced to muddle through this minefield of tired and embarrassing jokes is almost enough to make you reject the baby Jesus altogether.
There are plenty of cringe-worthy moments in this overlong seasonal tale ... but Fogelman and Dobkin do manage to find the right mix of sweet and sour.
A great cast fights a losing battle against moldy Christmas movie material in the holiday comedy Fred Claus.
A neat idea badly executed. Early in the film, there are some funny bits, but by the end, the narrative completely loses its way. Without the weight of the personalities involved, the film would be quickly forgotten.
Look! It's the inevitable dance sequence where Vince teaches all the elves the lessons of Footloose, because if there's one thing you need on the toy assembly line, it's 'jazz hands.'
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November 24, 2008:
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November 23, 2008:
Don't make the mistake of misreading this mean-spirited production as a kid-friendly Christmas flick. ![]()
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November 22, 2008:
Vince Vaughn's famously rude Wedding Crasher gets macho with Ludacris as a m-igitalized feisty Santa elf, while huddling over the pint-sized urinals in the john with another, to clue him about North Pole dirty dancing and romance. ![]()
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