Perfect cast and a good story

A Major Disappointment

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The story-line had potential. A couple decide to disavow Christmas, opting instead for a dream cruise. I didn't read the John Grisham book,but can only imagine how much fun and intriguing it would be to portray a story of denial and a break with this iconic tradition. Instead, Hollywood plunged into their seemingly endless trove of clichés,corniness, and "crappola" to serve up something so ridiculous it boggles the mind that people are actually (well) paid to produce this insult to the art of film making. Luther Krank (Tim Allen) decides on a whim to buy a cruise and skip Christmas. His wife Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) hee haws for about 30 seconds (her inner conflict is irrelevant) before agreeing to go along with his plan. What ensues is a neighborhood and communal outrage (involving the police department no less) that is so juvenile and ludicrous that one has to wonder at what mentality this film is aiming at. Even if (and it is a big if) the story had managed some association with reality and character development, the acting (on all sides) is so void of any semblance of portraying a real person that there is really no reason to get involved with the hackneyed spectacle or even waste time on a more substantial review. I gave it a 3. (2 points are free, just because I like Christmas.)

This film is actually based on a John Grisham novel but is a misguided misfire that has little by way of symbolism relating to the Christian meaning of Christmas. For goodness sake you have a Catholic priest hanging round a party on Christmas Eve instead of preparing for midnight mass.Luther Krank (Tim Allen) upsets his neighbourhood as he decides not to take in Christmas festivities and instead go on a Caribbean cruise with his wife Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) as their daughter has now left home and joined the Peace Corps. His neighbours are upset with this Scrooge like attitude and try to coerce and shame them into celebrating Christmas like decking the halls, buying gifts and putting Frosty the Snowman up on the roof just as everyone else on the street has done.The film gets syrupy and manipulative at the end as their daughter at the last minute decides to spend Christmas with her family and wants to introduce them to her new fiancé. This means succumbing to the commercialisation of Christmas and now at the last minute they need to buy a tree, honey ham and invite everyone around to their party.This is an artificial and uneven film with a mixed message that relies on Home Alone type antics for a few laughs. No surprise there as it is written by Chris Columbus who directed Home Alone 1 & 2 and directed by Joe Roth who was Head of 20th Century Fox when Home Alone 1 & 2 were released.

I'm not even sure why I sat through this film. Even when my attention wasn't fully on it, it still managed to almost put me to sleep, quite literally. For a start there is no real story arc, plot, or any real emotional investment in anything...the film's premise is basically about a couple (well, mostly Tim Allen's character) who want to 'skip' Christmas, and go on a cruise instead, much to the chagrin of their neighbours, who pressure them to...suddenly their daughter, who has just left two weeks ago, tells them she's engaged to a man (in a space of 2 weeks) and wants to surprise them by returning home with him...the usual Christmas-time clichés, surprisingly few real laughs, and all the feel-good tosh, can hardly begin to redeem this snorefest. Tim Allen's 'character' is as flat as cardboard, while it was a bit torturous having to ignore Jamie Lee Curtis' character's irritating screeching and squealing. The only highlight was the pretty scenes of the lit-up houses during a White Christmas, honestly...

here is a great cast for a brilliant movie for Xmas with Tim Allen Jamie lee Curtis and Dan aykrod playing perfect this festive fun when their only daughter Blair leaves the family home for the first time the whole krank family don't know what to do Nora and Luther have a neighborhood tradition but without telling any one they decide to book a Holiday cue hilarious and bonkers ideas and tanning one self so the book the cruise to beat their sadness and skip Xmas but when their neighbors find out they go out of their way to give the kranks a piece of their mind and krank up the festivities (sorry about the pun) but Luther up his no Xmas policy to effectiveness like pouring hot cold water over the path freezing the cat he hates giving less money to every one this Xmas but their plan are ruined as their daughter called home for UN announced surprise visit with her new boyfriend the kranks are so surprised that they only have a number of hours to get they House ready so cue a big speech to the head of the neighbors with Santa in his car the turkey being flooded all hell is bracken loose and frosty to be hung out with a great supporting cast to help like Jake busey with a party to be head snow falling there is going to be one hell of AP arty but Luther know who needs his tickets more than he does and does the charitable thing this is a classic Xmas film at 1hr35min 7/10 enjoy the chaos