Review: Four Christmases
Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon Weather Four Families on Xmas
Four Christmases Plot Overview
Kate and Brad (Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughan) are a moderately happy, unmarried couple living la dolce vita in an upscale area of San Francisco. Getting their kicks by role playing fake first dates, and avoiding any adult responsabilities such as marriage or children, this couple happily jets off to warm and exotic locales each Christmas, avoiding what they see as an overly mushy and sentimental holiday, with connotations of familial visitations, which they have successfully avoided for years.
When Brad and Kate see their latest flight to warm climes cancelled due to an immense foggy front covering the city, they inadvertantly appear on a live newsfeed at the airport, and their heretofore scheme falls apart. Soon thereafter, they are committed to reluctantly visit not one, but all four parents, each since either remarried or moved on to other relationships.
As Brad and Kate undergo this day-long marathon of humiliation and embarrassment, they soon start to learn more about themselves, and the things they've taken for granted, including each other.
All the while, this study in the rediscovery of their inner selves, takes place amidst the most dysfunctional of families and in-laws, in this touching comedy in the spirit of the upcoming holidays.
Four Christmases Analysis
This film marks the first major foray into bigger budget filmmaking for director Seth Gordon, who had previous engaged in behind the scenes roles, such as cinematographer, producer or editor. Having benefited from positive buzz on his previous directorial work (the documentary The King of Kong), Gordon managed fairly well, in this lighthearted comedy.
Through Gordon's guidance, the usually over-the-top Vince Vaughn displays a subdued, controlled presence in this movie, making for a much more enjoyable performance. Granted, Vaughn still manages to fit a few vintage moments throughout the film (notably his "powerhouse" performance as Joseph, in a memorable Nativity Scene), but by toning down the act considerably, he doesn't completely overshadow Reese Witherspoon's Kate in each scene they share.
The film enjoys poking indirect fun at yuppie mentality at its greatest, which itself provides a great source of comedy in this case. As well, the story provides enough variety in each family party, to keep the concept fresh, while still staying relevant and to the point.
Four Christmases Cast of Supporting Characters
The very concept of having four very different sets of parents to visit in so short a period of time, offered the producers a lot of room for varied casting, and they didn't fail to deliver. Robert Duvall plays Brad's father, a proud blue collar worker, whose two other grown sons (Jon Favreau and Tim McGraw) engage in unofficial Ultimate Fighting Championship fights.
Mary Steenburgen is Kate's mother, a born again Christian in a relationship with a revivalist pastor (Dwight Yoakum). Diminutive high pitched Broadway sensation Kristin Chenoweth plays Kate's wise older sister Courtney. Rounding up the cast are Sissy Spacek (playing Brad's earthy mother --also dating Brad's childhood buddy, awkwardly enough), and Jon Voight (Kate's dad) who, in contrast to the other parents, comes off as normal and balanced.
This film is a welcome pre-holiday alternative to the more child oriented fare permeating theatres in the latter part of the calendar. Amazingly, Vaughn and Witherspoon make a good onscreen couple, despite being diametrically opposed in their respective genres.
This movie has franchise potential, but it's obviously too soon to tell. Who knows, perhaps we will see a future filled with Four Thanksgivings, Four Easters, or Four Halloweens?
This film brings home the point that we all have some elements of our family we're not proud of, but we wouldn't change them if we could.
Four Christmases Poster
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