User Reviews

Four Christmases starring Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn, I suppose I can accept it, just very strange seeing them as a couple on screen together. But anyways, every year we get a Chrismas movie, it's either going to be fun or really bad, sorry to say, but Four Christmases is nothing special, another year with an easy to forget movie. But still while this movie doesn't really stand out and it is incredibly predictable, there are some really fun moments. We at least finally have the split up family vs just one crazy family. Reese really turned on the charm and stole this movie, she was so adorable and she was great in the jump jump scene with the evil kids. Vince had some moments as well, but it's more the supporting cast that was just a fun addition to the story.

When upscale, happily unmarried San Francisco couple Kate and Brad find themselves socked in by fog on Christmas morning, their exotic vacation plans morph into the family-centric holiday they had, until now, gleefully avoided. Out of obligation-and unable to escape-they trudge to not one, not two, but four relative-choked festivities, increasingly mortified to find childhood fears raised, adolescent wounds reopened...and their very future together uncertain. As Brad counts the hours to when he can get away from their parents, step-parents, siblings and an assortment of nieces and nephews, Kate is starting to hear the ticking of a different kind of clock. And by the end of the day, she is beginning to wonder if their crazy families' choices are not so crazy after all.

I would recommend Four Christmases just if you wanna see a cute holiday movie in the theater this year. Vince and Reese had good chemistry and this movie just represents the craziness of having to go to all the families every year for Christmas. There are some really good laughs here and there, I loved the scene where Reese played the Virgin Mary and Vince was Joesph in their church play and Reese just gets stage fright and freezes while Vince just makes a fool of himself on stage. Over all this is a cute movie, there's nothing special about it, but it's worth the look.

6/10

Four Christmases is WAY better than I remembered it being. I think people dismiss this movie because of the puke jokes, the crass "Southern working class" stereotypes, the kids hitting and jumping on adults. I get it. But I'd argue all of that is window dressing - attempts to keep this film as a comedy - rather than the "point" of the movie.

Four Christmases - stay with me here - is a meditation on family, relationships, and Christmas. Unlike so many other films, this one has a more grounded take than I expected: family isn't perfect, Christmas doesn't solve all of the problems, sometimes family members are just bad for you to be around and maybe, it's okay to acknowledge that. But, with all of this in mind, family grounds us; they're people we don't choose to be around, but people we're around because we all need people in our lives who will be with us, no matter how different we are. There's something special about connecting with a person who isn't "exactly" like you and finding something to appreciate.

I really like the ethos of this movie; that this no-it all, protypical liberal couple - Vaughn and Witherspoon - realize that for all their freedom, they don't have the depth of connection their family members do; all their condescension and status flies out the window. Yeah, this movie is deeper than you probably remember.

It's also pretty funny, with some really standout jokes and actors who are generally really great. John Favreau is a scene stealer, playing so far away from type, it's a joy every time he's on screen. Kristin Chenoweth is solid as well, but come on...Sissy Spacek? Robert Duvall? John Voight? Mary Steenburgen? This cast is stacked with legends who do an amazing job and give the film a "ghosts of Christmas" vibe with how different they all are. Oddly enough, I think Vaughn and Witherspoon are fine here; really anyone could've played these characters, and it's the other actors who make this movie for me.

Is this movie predictable? A little silly? A bit low brow? Sure. Is it fun? Yes. Does it have heart? Yes. It's a solid Christmas comedy and I think I'd recommend it to basically anyone looking for some laughs with their cheer.

This rudely rambunctious, intermittently funny 2008 holiday comedy is a supreme case of Hollywood overkill along the lines of Jay Roach's "Meet the Fockers". Running a scant 89 minutes, it stars no less than five Oscar-winning actors in the standard cookie-cutter story of a commitment-phobic couple who are forced to visit each of their four divorced parents on Christmas day. Co-written by first-timers Matt Allen and Caleb Wilson, along with Jon Lucas and Scott Moore (who co-wrote "The Hangover"), the premise shows promise with Kate and Brad, a pair of self-satisfied, upwardly mobile San Franciscans meeting for what looks like the first time in a bar. Their sharp-tongued banter turns out to be a role-playing fantasy since they are three years into their comfortable relationship. A major fog blanket rolls over the city and ruins their plans for a holiday vacation in Fiji. What's worse is that they are caught by a local news camera at the airport. Because they deceived their families into thinking they were traveling overseas to help starving third-world children, they embark on a daylong journey to each of their parent's houses, all conveniently located in the Bay Area.

However, the movie starts to decline precipitously with each visit. The first home the couple drops by belongs to Brad's redneck father, where his other sons, cage-fighting brothers Denver and Dallas tackle Brad with painful wrestling moves. It ends with an uncomfortable gift exchange where Brad's expensive gifts humiliate his blue-collar family. The couple then visits Kate's overly affectionate mother and a den of cougars, an episode in which it is revealed Kate had a childhood weight problem and a possible lesbian past. Brad's therapist mother is next on the itinerary, but he's still angry that she married his best friend, who is half her age, and a game of Taboo reveals the communication gulf that really exists between Kate and Brad. The last stop is at the home of Kate's father, and this is where the tone gets serious-minded as the couple learns a lesson in the value of being with family in spite of whatever personal differences may exist to divide them the rest of the year.

Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon - he with his semi-improvised riffing, she with her exacting intelligence - would seem to be absurdly mismatched, but they spar convincingly, even if they do look more like best friends than lovers. Vaughn gets to shine in a Christmas pageant scene where he basks in the limelight of his ham-fisted stage debut. Robert Duvall, Mary Steenburgen, Sissy Spacek, and Jon Voight play the parents with little screen time, and only Duvall leaves much of an impression as an embittered shell of a man. Jon Favreau, Tim McGraw, Carol Kane, and Kristin Chenoweth gamely play various relatives in equally smallish roles. The whole venture is directed by Seth Gordon, whose only previous feature-length credit is the critically praised video-game documentary, "The King of Kong", and his storytelling inexperience shows in the sometimes ADD-level pacing of the story. The 2009 DVD, being released for the holidays, doesn't offer much in terms of extras other than two different screen formats.

It's hilarious hilarious hilarious hilarious until it's serious, with a great and simple message. I watch it every year. Great cast. Terrific acting.

Happy Holidays!

I don't know why everyone hates on this movie, I laugh through the entire thing. I have seen it probably 5 times now, and still enjoy it. It also has a stellar cast with Robert Devall, Tim McGraw, I mean come on, it even has Dwight Yoakam in it. It's funny, light hearted, and sweet at the end. Anyway, I just thought people should give it a chance. It had bad reviews when it came out, and my mom and I saw it in theaters and disagreed with the reviews then.

This film has the perfect setup to be a big hit...it comes out on DVD over the holidays when (many) people are, after a day or two, trying to get away from the relatives for awhile, and the plot even centers on that same subject matter! Yet, through a multitude of problems, first and foremost being the continued dumbing down of what people must think is funny, it fails to resonate on any level.

Basically, the story sees a couple (played by Reece Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn) trying to escape their holiday family get-togethers due to tension from both sets of parents. However, when their flight to Fiji is cancelled due to fog, they are forced to spend the day at four different homes (both sets of their parents are divorced) celebrating Christmas. They meet a wide variety of odd characters and even begin to drift away from each other once past secrets begin to be revealed.

While that may sound like an interesting concept, it just doesn't get off the group. First, the lead couple, though played by the very competent Witherspoon and Vaughn, are so unlikable that you really can't get drawn into their relationship. In fact, you may actually root AGAINST them as they are so annoying. Secondly, the auxiliary family members that should bring the comedy to the film are, in actually, quite annoying themselves also. Not until the last home do you get a touch of interesting character development, but by then you really don't care anymore.

However, the biggest problem with the entire film is that it relies on far too many sight gags and an over abundance of crude humor. The scenes in the film that should get the biggest laughs involve "Vaughn" falling off a roof, a breast pump, and a baby vomiting. Now I suppose that when it comes to humor it's sort of "to each his own", but personally I feel that resorting to that type of humor is a cheap way to get a chuckle (if that) and doesn't really endear itself to viewers.

Thus, here is the real test of whether or not I found this to be enjoyable whatsoever: After finishing it, I flipped around my cable TV and found two great films on...Father of the Bride and When Harry Met Sally. After just 15 minutes of flipping back and forth between those two, I had more laughs than during the entire 88 minutes of Four Christmases.

As a Vince Vaughn fan, this film is a must watch during Christmas time. Although the film is as much about the holidays as Die Hard is, the Christmas holiday is the basis for the movie which revolves around the protagonists' seemingly perfect relationship. It is rather nice to see a film where the main characters have a healthy relationship and how a slight snag can be what is necessary to make their relationship even stronger. As a romantic comedy, there are a few corny scenes but there are a few rather hilarious ones to keep the viewer laughing. Jon Favreau is in rare form giving us the best laugh of the movie. A light hearted enjoyable movie, I recommend it to anyone who enjoys romantic comedies and a fun movie to watch with your significant other.

Sigh. Another potentially funny Hollywood comedy hits the skids when it encounters a message. The message here seems to be, "Families Are Hideous And Awful, But Everyone Should Be Forced To Have One". No, I don't understand the logic of that either.

The families are made up of 4 sets of familiar comedy archetypes - the yokels, the interfering women, the religious kooks and - um - the fourth set who the writers couldn't be bothered to make interesting or unusual. I suppose you can't blame them for losing interest - I know I had.

Phoned-in performances and a faxed-in script result in a charmless, pointless holiday film. The only good thing about it is the charisma of the leads, and a funny appearance by Jon Favreau. But seriously, you would be better advised to watch National Lampoon's Xmas Vacation again instead.

Couple Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) have been dating for three years but have no interest in getting married or having babies. They avoid their families (4 of them--both of their parents are divorced) by saying they have some charity mission to do. However they're caught on camera one Christmas and have to promise to visit all their 4 families that one day. Naturally all their families are somewhat strange and familiar (but funny) complications ensure.

I saw this for a few reasons--it got good reviews from critics; it's been an OK hit (so far); I like Vaughn and Witherspoon and it's hard to resist a movie with FOUR Academy Award winning actors in supporting roles--Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen and Jon Voight. It's not a great movie at all but it had a few good laughs and--at 88 minutes--it doesn't wear out its welcome. Supposedly Vaughn and Witherspoon didn't get along at all while working on this but you'd never know it from the film. They have some great chemistry and their comedic timing is right on target. The rest of the cast is as good as anyone could be and they all act well enough to make the entirely predictable story go down smoothly. It's not perfect. I could have lived without the TWO instances of projectile vomiting and Jon Favreau and Tim McGraw were too vicious and unfunny as Vaughn's brothers. Some people find seeing other people beaten up hysterically funny but I'm not one of them. Still these are small parts of the movie. All in all a good enjoyable holiday film.

This is movie is Hilarious it has now worked it way into our Family's always watch during the Holidays up there with Planes Trains and Automobiles and NL X-mas Vacation.

This is Vaughn on his A-Game, in my experience, You either love or hate Vince.. I personally have been a Fan since Swingers and Made. Witherspoon is decent and holds her own, but this is Vince's Movie for sure.

The scene where they visit Vaughn's Dad (the Amazing Robert Duvall) along with life long partner in crime Actor/MEGA Director Jon Favreau and the surprisingly natural actor Tim McGraw alone is worth the rental of this movie alone, and Mother Visit with Sissy Spacek and a Cameo from Swingers as her new Husband is also Fantastic.

If youre not laughing out loud during these 2 scenes you dont know what Comedy is..

Check this out if you wasnt to Laugh... a Fan of Vince Vaughn/Jon Favreau etc.

Vaughn's performance is on point here.. just as "Wedding Crashers" and "The Breakup"

For some younger great VV performance's Check out "Clay Pigeons" and "Domestic Disturbance"

If you look at this not from romcom but rather from family drama perspective, you will see slight glimpse of the future. Now it is 2021 but in ten years this kind of easy and 'wrong funny' movie can be not cult but classic. It's actually smart although wrong marketed, it's not Christmas RomCom and not so funny. Vince Vaughn PLAYS 'funny guy' but in the core this man sad and can't see happy path rather play it cool as americans usually do. I'd say this film about some kind of PTSD of 'modern american life' in early XXI, and there some truth in both main performances. I like the fact that both characters accomplish their journeys.

The cast in this flick are superb.

I don't get its low rating, especially among the critics, this little movie deserves bit more respect. Probably it's like wine gets better with years.

To be fair, I should explain right away I had no intention of seeing this movie at all not to mention Vince Vaughn hasn't done anything very good like Swingers and Made in some time (to me, Wedding Crashers and The Break Up were just O.K.). In fact, the bitter taste from last year's disappointing Fred Claus was still present when my girlfriend said she wanted to see this movie tonight. Of course, I cringed at the idea while mildly protesting but eventually gave in with the prospect of secretly indulging in an unspoken "I told you so". Only kidding, that thought never crossed my mind...

Anyways, I didn't even really know what this was about before seeing it but it didn't take long for the plot to be outlined after a pretty funny scene at the airport. Basically, after 3 years of avoiding spending time with their families on Christmas (remember, you can't spell families without "lies"), Kate and Brad find themselves in an unfortunate situation this year that forces them to spend Christmas with their divorced parents and very dysfunctional siblings. This concept could go either way for me because I really liked Christmas Vacation but disliked The Family Stone. Fortunately, just as it started out great this continued to be more like Christmas Vacation all the way through with several laugh out loud funny dialog and various slapstick that had the whole theater roaring with laughter. One of my favorite parts was a Nativity play where Vince Vaughn effectively delivers some hilarious over the top scenery chewing that had everybody in stitches... well, except Kate.

As funny as I thought this was, it wouldn't be a real Christmas movie without delivering some sort of constructive message among all the chaos. Since I can empathize with Vaughn in his situation with Kate, the film's resolution probably had more personal impact for me. I can also understand the criticism that most of the talented cast was wasted in comparison because the family situations were not addressed equally. What I liked the most about the film's brief serious turn is it wasn't syrupy while providing some genuine touching moments thanks to the believable acting skills of Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn and of course the two screen legends, Bobby DuVall and Jon Voight. Best Christmas movie I've seen since Bad Santa and yes, I will listen to my girlfriend's suggestions without being such a Scrooge from now on:)

Greetings again from the darkness. Vince Vaughn is starting to remind me of what Woody Allen went through ... "I liked his funny movies". Just wasn't a fan of "Wedding Crashers" or "The Break-up", but I certainly recognize his comedic talents. Here, his quirks play a little better, though I never really bought off on he and Reece Witherspoon as a couple.

Low expectations, a strong cast, a few clever lines, easily relatable family strain, and a true sight "gag" make this one enjoyable enough. The trailer gives away the set-up of the film as Reece and Vince are forced to visit all four pieces of their disjointed families on Christmas. For some reason, director Seth Gordon ("King of Kong") casts Robert Duvall and Sissy Spacek as VV's parents and Jon Voight and Mary Steenburgen as Reece's. The curiosity stems from the age difference between these actors ... a 15-16 year span. Just struck me as odd. Though not quite as odd as Jon Voight offering parental advice. Now THAT is comedy! Despite the hi-jinx, the messages abound: we all have the weirdest family, it is never easy to really connect with another person, and it's always a good time for cheese whiz. This is really VV's film as Reece has little to offer save for the bounce bounce scene. Mr. Vaughn is truly at his best in the moments of rapid fire dialogue as he helplessly tries to avoid another ridiculous situation.

One warning to parents: the film is rated PG-13 and there is a segment regarding the Santa secret, so be forewarned. The unwritten rule is broken. The quick lines and uncomfortable family moments make this one worth a few giggles. Not a Christmas classic, but a decent comedy.

I must mention the tribute to the classic "A Christmas Story" as the kids peer into the toy store window early on. That scene is followed by the airport scene, where the ticket agent is played by none other than Peter Billingsley, a grown up Ralphie from that movie (and producer of this film).

My friend and I saw this movie tonight and did get a few laughs. We really liked the cast and thought overall the movie was "cute".

We both noticed how Reese Witherspoon's hair kept "changing".. In the same clip the camera would be on her and her bangs would be straight and side-swept. Camera goes to Vince Vaughn. Camera goes back to Witherspoon and her bangs are fuller and covering her forehead. The color would change from scene to scene. It was bizarre. We laughed more at the hair issue than the movie itself. We wondered how many others in the audience noticed. It was really obvious.

Clearly we are easily entertained... ;-)

Okay, come on, this story line has been recycled a few times, so let's not expect that you won't be able to predict what will happen. Once you get past the high expectations, you'll be able to relax and actually enjoy the humorous points that in this movie.

The actors/actresses did a good job of playing their characters and there were only a few scenes when it was just too painful to watch, but the laughing out loud with the crowd at some of the scenes just out numbered those painful points.

Vince delivered as expected and so did the rest of the star-studded cast. Worth a watch in theaters or on DVD.

It's been a while since Hollywood gave us a genuinely good Christmas movie worth seeing. If you notice, the Christmas TV line-up is the same each year and the most modern film usually on the list is THE SANTA CLAUSE (1993). This just goes to show that, sadly, Hollywood isn't creating Christmas classics as it once did. Perhaps one of these years we will get a Christmas film reminiscent of the ones we love to watch on TV every year, but this ain't that year - or at least FOUR CHRISTMASES isn't that film.

The problem doesn't lie within the film's premise, but in the actual events that play out in the film. Kate and Brad live life with and for each other and that's it. They don't have much contact with their families - where each parent is divorced and some remarried - and each Christmas opt for a tropical vacation, telling their families they are doing charity work instead. All in all, they are happy with each other, but have buried their family issues. However, this year they get caught in their lie and are forced to visit each parent individually, celebrating a total of four Christmases. In the hands of an able and creative script writer this film could have been quite enjoyable as both Kate and Brad learn to appreciate their families and not exclude certain things - mainly marriage and children - in their lives just because their parents are bad examples of them. Instead, each visit with a parent seems to be a drawn out slapstick or sex joke and nothing else and is just not in any way funny or clever.

The film suffers from a lack of intelligence and it is shocking that it attracted the star power it did. The star's talents are hardly used and instead the film opts for over-sexed relatives, ultra violent brothers and insanely disobedient children - who get no reprimanding for their actions. As a genre of film that almost lends itself to families this one missed the mark and is not recommended for the kids. As an adult-geared Christmas film it just isn't funny. Adult humor can be funny and appropriate if there is other substance backing up the film - see 'KNOCKED UP' or 'FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL.' All we are offered in FOUR CHRISTMASES is one boring and uninspired vignette after the next with paper-thin character development and uninteresting characters.

With rarely an enjoyable moment and an atmosphere that provides almost no Christmas spirit, FOUR CHRISTMASES shouldn't be on anyone's list of holiday films. It is the awkward gift given by a relative. You know the type. It comes in a pretty package, but upon opening you find that it is a pair of underwear or a sweater that is designed to sit at the back of closets. This film surely will.

I dont really enjoy comedies where the humor is meant to come from cartoonishy uncomfotable situations.

That being said, nowadays you don't see wholesome, awesome couples like the one in this movie, so them and their chemistry I really liked.

Go find me anything Netflix-made with a relationship like that. A man and woman who understand and support each other? My, that's illegal.

Just watched this movie few hours ago. It was like a shocking therapy. This has been one of the most bad movies I have ever seen. No plot, no idea, no "healthy humor". Only sick sex jokes and pregnancy subjects. The movie is not about Christmas: it has nothing to do with Christmas. The movie is about a girl (Witherspoon) and a guy (Vaughn): the girl finally decides that she wants to get pregnant. No use to describe movie here: those who want to watch it, don't fall asleep. I watched the movie and now regretting that I wasted two hours on that. It is not surprising: Witherspoon can't play anybody else but pregnant girls or silly lawyers; Vaughn - it is still a mystery why he agreed to do this movie. Awful. 1/10.

This movie produces non stop laughter in our house! Vince Vaughn does his 'thing' better than ever, while Reese is great playing his girlfriend. The rest of the cast is top notch and a perfect mixture of family stereotypes! You owe it to yourself, if you have a sense of humor about holidays and family get togethers, to see this movie!

I enjoyed 'Four Christmases', even if it does gradually drop in quality throughout.

I found the premise and set-up of it entertaining, the execution may not be perfect but it leads to a satisfactory Xmas comedy. The plot does get slightly repetitive, but there's enough in there to keep it watchable. They also, smartly, keep the run time low at 88 minutes.

Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon are a fun pairing, I felt the necessary chemistry between the two. Elsewhere, the likes of Robert Duvall, Jon Voight, Mary Steenburgen and Jon Favreau all make noteworthy appearances.

It's good. If it kept up the strong start then I'd be rating it a tad higher.

Where to begin on this one. I didn't really have high hopes for this one, as the commercial made it look really boring, but I got forced into going. I figured hey, Vince Vaughn is awesome, he will probably make it bearable. Yeah, he didn't.

For starters, he and Reese Witherspoon have no chemistry. Their relationship is annoying and they aren't likable characters who you can cheer for. The whole movie is packed with big name actors, but there isn't a single one who is likable, and it makes it really difficult to care as the movie drags on.

Finally, the most painful part was when they let Vince Vaughn just talk incessantly, especially in the later stages of the movie. I loved his rambling style in other movies, but in this one I just want to reach out and slap him.

Avoid, there really isn't anything good about this movie.

Fifteen years ago today, Four Christmases came out in theaters. This is one of my four favorite Christmas movies (the others being Christmas Vacation, Elf, and Just Friends) My favorite scenes from Four Christmases are: When Brad Also Known As Orlando (Vince Vaughn) tells his nephews that there dad is Santa Claus and when his youngest nephew goes outside streaking, When Brad, his brothers and nephews are fighting/wrestling and the oldest nephew says Google Me, B**ch, when Kate's (Reese Witherspoon's) baby niece throws up on her and Brad starts gagging, and the bounce house scene. With that being said, Happy 15th Anniversary to Four Christmases.