Posted on 12/05/2008 5:24:35 PM PST by Publius804
DHP Review: Four Christmases
Posted by Dirty Harry on Friday, December 5th, 2008
Four Christmases might break the record for casting more Academy Award winning actors completely adrift than any other film ever made. Count ‘em: Robert Duvall, Mary Steenburgen, Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight, and Reese Witherspoon… Five! Five Oscar-grippers all saddled with characters that have little to do, nowhere to go, and aren’t allowed to make an impression that even rises to the level of an Elliott Gould guest shot on Friends.
Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Witherspoon) play a young, unmarried, well-to-do, narcissistic San Francisco couple very much in love but only because they’re completely into themselves and each other. By seeking only pleasure, Brad and Kate have, for three years, avoided all the sticky complications that might test their relationship, namely any talk of marriage and sticky dealings with their respective families.
Their yearly Christmas ritual is both complicated and designed to avoid kith and kin get-togethers at all cost. Using wild, detailed and coordinated claims of overseas charity work as cover, Brad and Vince then jet off to tropical paradise assuming no one’s the wiser. This year things don’t work so well, though, when a thick San Francisco fog rolls in grounding all flights and a local news reporter aiming for the local angle sticks a camera and microphone in the unwitting couple’s face. Before you can say second act turning point cell phones ring and a family Christmas becomes harsh reality.
Because both Brad and Kate’s parents are divorced, it’s four Christmases that must be hit over the course of a single day with every kind of dysfunction and situational comedy you can imagine.
(Excerpt) Read more at dirtyharrysplace.com ...
From the trailer, it’s the first movie I’ve really wanted to see in years. I’m even considering going to the theater.
Go see it. We went last weekend and it was cute. I mean if you are looking for Oscar caliber work- don’t go see a Christmas movie. We liked it.
I guess I will pass...LOL
WWW.movie6.net
watched it there last night.
Ya, but it’s not out in a good copy. Cam’s and TS’s are garbage that ruin the experience of watching a movie. I don’t watch anything until the R5 or a comparable TC comes out at least.
Vince Vaughn is funny, and his scene with Sissy Spacek playing a game is very funny. You probably don’t want to spend $10.00 per ticket for this movie, though. It will be out on DVD soon enough.
bookmark
Hubs and I saw the movie on Thanksgiving Day. Waste of money and time, imho. They don’t make movies like they used to. While enjoying pie and coffee later, we watched It’s A Wonderful Life. Now that’s a great Christmas feel-good movie!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.