FOUR CHRISTMASES
CAROLINE: The new movie “Four Christmases” is the big holiday movie/romantic comedy offering for the year, and I had high hopes for it. But it majorly disappointed me.
RYAN: I loved it. But I don’t see it as a holiday movie. It’s really just a great rom/com masquerading as a holiday film. I thought it was very good.
CAROLINE: Let’s start with the trivial. Vince Vaughn is way too tall for the diminutive Reese Witherspoon. They looked ridiculous together in some scenes. Especially that one where they took a dance lesson.
RYAN: I didn’t even notice it during the film. I was blinded by their chemistry. They have great timing together and I could actually see them as a couple. He’s taller than everyone in Hollywood, except maybe that Nikki Kidman gal.
CAROLINE: I know this is dumb, but I also couldn’t get past knowing what I know about Reese and Vince in real life. She seems like such a nice girl, very focused on being a mom; whereas Vince is still a swingin’ single party boy type. It made it hard for me to buy them as a couple in the movie.
RYAN: I liked them as a couple but I agree with you about struggling to separate the reality. Reese is known to be a great mom and so it’s hard to buy her kid-estranged character somewhat.
CAROLINE: The cast is great; lots of fun supporting roles. Jon Favreau was brilliant with his random mohawk. But Vince doing his shtick, which I normally find hilarious, just didn’t work for me in this one. He was unfunny.
RYAN: He didn’t bowl me over but I wasn’t off-put either. I have to give special props to one of my favorite performers today – Kristin Chenoweth. It was an hilarious role for her. She and Reese have been destined to play relatives in a movie at some point and I’ll gladly take it here. Cheno lights up the screen.
CAROLINE: I loved her in this too. She was adorable, and perfectly cast.
RYAN: What I liked most about this film is what it says about relationships. It’s a look at marriage and commitment and how relationships are affected by their pasts and baggage, aka, families, etc…
CAROLINE: I just didn’t think it was that funny. I barely laughed, and I was expecting major LOLs. I liked some scenes, but I was expecting more.
RYAN: I chuckled a bit but I think I just was more entertained by the story. It was a bit disjointed though. More like four short films kind of sewn together.
CAROLINE: Totally. It felt slapped together, like they put the movie together hastily. The director, Seth Gordon, doesn’t have much experience. He made that doc last year, “The King of Kong,” which everyone loved so they gave him a feature. Bad idea. And the script blew chunks too.
RYAN: I missed that doc. But I liked this film. It’s the kind of flick you’d find yourself watching whenever you’re surfing the channels and come across it.
CAROLINE: LBH, the only reason this movie is worth watching at all is the cast. I won’t say, “Don’t see it,” because I did enjoy parts of it. Fans of these stars will enjoy seeing them do a comedy together. But I was underwhelmed.
RYAN: Wow. We’ll have to agree to disagree. I’m recommending it. Just know going in that it’s more of a relationship dramedy than comedic holiday fare.