Movie Review: Fred Claus
Patrick Coholan
Issue date: 11/13/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
If you already have a case of the Christmas spirit, you might enjoy Fred Claus.
It's a film starring Vince Vaughn as the title character, the free-spirited brother to saintly Santa Claus, played in a fat suit by Paul Giamatti. This is a children's film, so if you are a surly Scrooge, this will probably be the wrong film for you. If you can enjoy a pleasant-mannered Christmas tale, then you may want to don your red hat and slide down into the theatre to see it.
Vaughn gives a funny, likable performance as Fred Claus. There are some genuine laughs, both in his zany dialogue, and in his slapstick performance as the dancing, cheating, stealing alter ego to Santa. For fans of this actor, the film is probably acceptable as a decent, charming film fare. For those who are a tad cynical, the overly warm and upbeat ending may leave you groaning in dismay.
There is a lot to like, including the effective conception of the North Pole where Santa's elves make toys for all the nice children in the world. There is an interesting concept of a giant glass ball that shows Santa children everywhere and anywhere - a kind of psychic spy glass that would be helpful to police authorities everywhere.
The elves are pleasant folk, including an amusing role by Ludacris as DJ Donnie, the most uncool DJ in town. Endless Christmas carols upset poor Fred, earning a debt to his brother Santa by working in the elves' workshop, and Fred injects some funk into the lives of the cheerful elves, including chief elf Willie who needs a little help in his love life.
Kevin Spacey is a treat as Clyde, the efficiency expert whose ambition is to shut down Santa Claus and his Christmas do-gooding for good. If you do have a case of the Christmas spirit, this film will help cheer you, especially in light of the early release date, before we have been fully inundated by Christmas tidings and are potentially sick, like Fred, of repeating Christmas carols and yuletide celebrations.
The comedy is aided by genuinely amusing slapstick, so for adults, even if you care little for the Christmas theme, you might get a chuckle out of some of the physical comedy. Vaughn is well-cast as Fred, and his performance virtually carries the movie, along with some nice special effects that highlight the famed flying sleigh and Santa's reindeer.
The film seems to operate on the premise that if you have paid a ticket to see a children's fantasy about Christmas, you have to accept that certain mysteries of Christmas are best left that, mysteries. It does hint at how such a feat might work, including a ground-to-air radio tower manned by elves that guides Santa's sleigh through the night air. As for sliding down the chimney with bags of loot for children to find beneath the tree, no plausible explanation is given, so the great mystery of Christmas remains, at present, a mystery.
If you are interested in a little Christmas mystery for yourself, check out Fred Claus and enjoy a little holiday cheer.
It's a film starring Vince Vaughn as the title character, the free-spirited brother to saintly Santa Claus, played in a fat suit by Paul Giamatti. This is a children's film, so if you are a surly Scrooge, this will probably be the wrong film for you. If you can enjoy a pleasant-mannered Christmas tale, then you may want to don your red hat and slide down into the theatre to see it.
Vaughn gives a funny, likable performance as Fred Claus. There are some genuine laughs, both in his zany dialogue, and in his slapstick performance as the dancing, cheating, stealing alter ego to Santa. For fans of this actor, the film is probably acceptable as a decent, charming film fare. For those who are a tad cynical, the overly warm and upbeat ending may leave you groaning in dismay.
There is a lot to like, including the effective conception of the North Pole where Santa's elves make toys for all the nice children in the world. There is an interesting concept of a giant glass ball that shows Santa children everywhere and anywhere - a kind of psychic spy glass that would be helpful to police authorities everywhere.
The elves are pleasant folk, including an amusing role by Ludacris as DJ Donnie, the most uncool DJ in town. Endless Christmas carols upset poor Fred, earning a debt to his brother Santa by working in the elves' workshop, and Fred injects some funk into the lives of the cheerful elves, including chief elf Willie who needs a little help in his love life.
Kevin Spacey is a treat as Clyde, the efficiency expert whose ambition is to shut down Santa Claus and his Christmas do-gooding for good. If you do have a case of the Christmas spirit, this film will help cheer you, especially in light of the early release date, before we have been fully inundated by Christmas tidings and are potentially sick, like Fred, of repeating Christmas carols and yuletide celebrations.
The comedy is aided by genuinely amusing slapstick, so for adults, even if you care little for the Christmas theme, you might get a chuckle out of some of the physical comedy. Vaughn is well-cast as Fred, and his performance virtually carries the movie, along with some nice special effects that highlight the famed flying sleigh and Santa's reindeer.
The film seems to operate on the premise that if you have paid a ticket to see a children's fantasy about Christmas, you have to accept that certain mysteries of Christmas are best left that, mysteries. It does hint at how such a feat might work, including a ground-to-air radio tower manned by elves that guides Santa's sleigh through the night air. As for sliding down the chimney with bags of loot for children to find beneath the tree, no plausible explanation is given, so the great mystery of Christmas remains, at present, a mystery.
If you are interested in a little Christmas mystery for yourself, check out Fred Claus and enjoy a little holiday cheer.
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