Four Christmases (2008)

This Vince Vaughan and Reese Witherspoon fronted Christmas bonanza is rubbish; of course it is. But there’s a key difference between Four Christmases and Surviving Christmas (with which this was double billed). Surviving Christmas is just plain drivel, a plot that is foolish from start to finish with a hateful character at its center. Four Christmases confronts a problem that is easy to buy; a couple, whose parents have both split up, have to spend a few hours on Christmas day with each parent. Four parents, four Christmases. I laughed aloud three times during the film; two of these occasions were at Robert Duvall as Vaughan’s Dad. Although Vince Vaughan is inherently annoying, his stupidity is stunted somewhat by Witherspoon, who is pretty much always an excellent screen presence. You certainly believe in Witherspoon’s character more, even if most of the film is your run of the mill Christmas movie trash. Everyone turns up at some point, from Jon Voight to Sissy Spacek; and although none of them can help the film beyond anything other than trash, it’s one of those Christmas films that you can name and then easily reel off at least ten more that are far worse. Including Surviving Christmas. 3.7/10