Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

Joe Roth

Writers (WGA):

John Grisham (novel)
Chris Columbus (screenplay)

Release Date:

24 November 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Tagline:

Their Christmas will turn the town upside down!

Plot:

With their daughter away, her parents decide to skip Christmas altogether until she decides to come home, causing an uproar when they have to celebrate the holidays at the last minute.

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Vacation | Neighbor | Christmas Eve | Chicago Illinois

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Tim Allen	...	Luther Krank
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Nora Krank
Dan Aykroyd	...	Vic Frohmeyer
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Walt Scheel
Elizabeth Franz	...	Bev Scheel
Erik Per Sullivan	...	Spike Frohmeyer
Cheech Marin	...	Officer Salino
Jake Busey	...	Officer Treen
Austin Pendleton	...	Umbrella Santa / Marty
Tom Poston	...	Father Zabriskie
Julie Gonzalo	...	Blair Krank
René Lavan	...	Enrique Decardenal
Caroline Rhea	...	Candi
Felicity Huffman	...	Merry
Patrick Breen	...	Aubie

Also Known As:

John Grisham's Skipping Christmas (USA) (working title)
Skipping the Holidays (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for brief language and suggestive content.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:All | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Germany:o.Al. | Italy:T | Philippines:G | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:0 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:8 (canton of Zurich) | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Revolution Studios

Trivia:

During filming, it was reported that the cast and crew had ingested over 10 pounds of fake snow.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Nora is trying to leave her house and Vic grabs her window she rolls it up to try to get rid of him. His fingers get stuck and Nora does not roll it back down, however in one shot the window is back down then in the next shot it is up again

Quotes:

Vic Frohmeyer: Nora Krank, we're here for Frosty!

Movie Connections:

References Pulp Fiction (1994)

Soundtrack:

Sweet and Dandy

Stick to courtroom dramas, Mr. Grisham

When Luther and Nora Krank (Tim Allen and Jamie Curtis respectively) decide to take a sea cruise in leu of having a Christmas of an kind, in part because their daughter Blair will be in the Peace Corps, their neighbors don't take the news particularly well, which draws the ire of Vic Frohmeyer (Dan Aykroyd) the self-proclaimed 'head of the neighborhood'. A battle of wits ensues (pardon my laughter, I just never thought I'd go nowhere NEAR typing the word 'wit' in relation to this movie).

It's the little things that make this movie not worth watching. Such small nitpicks as Allen and Curtis not having any sort of chemistry whatsoever, and the film not being particularly funny or clever or what have you, but my biggest gripe is that the usually talented John Grisham choose to stray from what he does best (ie. courtroom dramas), but hopefully the mind-blowing travesty that this film is has proved for him not to deviate from his true talent.

Where I saw it: Starz on Demand

My Grade: D