Hi I'm Ayla (also aylawarner on dooyoo)! Thanks for all the R/R/C. I'm not on here as much as dooy...
Hi I'm Ayla (also aylawarner on dooyoo)! Thanks for all the R/R/C. I'm not on here as much as dooyoo but I'll try to rate you back as soon as I can! x
Member since:31.10.2006
Reviews:153
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Brad and Kate are a happily in love couple who enjoy having fun without the responsibilities of marriage or children. For three years they've successfully managed to dodge the unwelcome Christmas season usually spent with family and have jetted off to many exotic locations. This year, having told each set of divorced parents that they won't be able to make Christmas again due to important charity work, they excitedly pack their bags ready for a hot Christmas in Fiji together. But arriving at the airport they find that their flight has been cancelled due to bad weather. When a news reporter interviews them, their families find out where they are and Brad and Kate both get phone calls inviting them round for the holidays. Doom falls upon them at the prospect of visiting four parents on Christmas day.
And each visit is just as bad as the thought they'd be. When stories are told and secrets are revealed the couple are in for many shocks when they find out things about the other that they
never knew. Faced with the truth, the couple must decide what they each really want from their relationship.
~ Cast ~ Brad - Vince Vaughn Kate - Reese Witherspoon Howard - Robert Duvall Creighton - Jon Voight Denver - Jon Favreau Marilyn - Mary Steenburgen Dallas - Tim McGraw Courtney - Kristin Chenoweth
After seeing many trailers for this film which had us both laughing, my husband and I were both looking forward to using our trusty Cineworld passes to see Four Christmases. With a great pair as the main castings and a funny storyline what could go wrong?
Well it turns out that quite a bit can go wrong. This is one of those annoying films that shows every single funny part in the trailers, and I mean every single funny part. So, other than the funniest parts which we'd already seen, we were left with only a few more tamer comical moments which didn't really get going and failed to have us in stitches. There were a fair few comical moments surrounding meeting all the in-laws but, as I said, we'd already seen most of these in the trailers so there were no surprises which made the film rather uneventful. Other comedy moments were not as funny and kind of fell flat which left me wanting more from the film.
Although separately Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon are both brilliant actors and I've enjoyed many of their films, together it just didn't work. They were meant to be this passionate couple who were deeply in love and wanted to spend all their time together but I just didn't see any passion or love and there was no chemistry at all. The very beginning of the film starts out with the pair in a bar attempting to spice up the relationship by some role playing. They are both playing different characters to who they really are and this is the first time these characters meet. They then have a "passionate" encounter in the bar's toilets - note my quote marks around the word passionate because it was supposed to be passionate but it really wasn't. It was just a bit awkward with Vaughn's big clumpy giant hands all over the tiny and petite Witherspoon who would have to stand on the toilet just to reach Vaughn's head. There were a fair few good moments when they each found out something about the other and their reactions were very well done but it was in these moments, when they were being purposefully awkward and distant with other, when they seemed more like a couple, rather than when they were acting like they were in love. The pairing was just an odd one for me and, although great actors, they just didn't work well together.
The rest of the cast in the form of family members and in-laws provided some comedy, however, I felt that most of this was over-acted and over-the-top which turned it into a silly sort of comedy which I don't think was the aim of the film.
Overall, this was an enjoyable film with a fair few laughs if you haven't seen any trailers. If you have seen trailers then don't be expecting much more comedy from it as you'll be disappointed. It is a great film to watch around Christmas and you can appreciate the comical storyline if you've ever had to meet your partner's families. Even though the chemistry wasn't there and some parts got a tad silly, I still enjoyed it, but it will be one of those films for me to watch on TV when there's nothing else on whilst wrapping the Christmas pressies.
Running time: 88 minutes Certificate rating: 12A Director: Seth Gordon
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
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Sounds like "no-thought-required" viewing - and as it's been so long since I saw the trailers, I wouldn't mind seeing it but I won't expect too much! Nicely reviewed.
bobbetta 31.07.2009 11:26
i'm a sucker for silly christmas movies so I want to see this! Nice Review
Hishyeness 31.07.2009 11:16
Doesn't sound remotely interesting - nicely written up though 8^)
Every Christmas happily unmarried Brad and Kate (Vince Vaughn and Reece Witherspoon) ... more
escape divorced parents and exasperating relatives by getting on a plane. This year a fog rolls in that even Rudolph's nose couldn't illuminate the airport shuts down...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: Great cast, perfect chemistry and relationship between Rudd and Segel, hilarious film Disadvantages: Some disgusting parts and detailed sex talk
frankiefromings13 26.04.2009 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
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