Fred Claus (2007)
Directed by David Dobkin. Starring Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Elizabeth Banks, Kevin Spacey, Rachel Weisz, Miranda Richardson, John Michael Higgins, Kathy Bates, Trevor Peacock, Bobb'e J. Thompson, Frank Stallone, Stephen Baldwin and Ludacris
Fred was excited to have a baby brother, but as the two siblings grow up they become more and more divided. Nick is the epidemy of the golden child, a kid who would prefer to give his birthday presents away to those in greater need. Much to Fred’s annoyance.
Nick grows up to be Santa, while Fred grows to be bitter and resentful, and when Nick becomes a saint he and his immediate family become immortal, giving Fred plenty of time to become bitter still.
Skip forward to the present day (or at least 2007) and Fred needs to get his hands on some cash quick, so decides to hit up his brother for a ‘financial investment’. Nick however, in an effort to not be such a pushover, gets Fred to earn his money helping out in the run-up to Christmas.
Meanwhile Nick finds himself under added pressure when a Holiday inspector arrives to make sure everything is done to the highest standard, and if Nick fails Christmas will be cancelled…forever.
Fred Claus didn’t sit well with critics, Film 4’s Jim Hall declared “You'll have a better time if you spend Christmas wedged up a chimney” and the 21% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes would concur with Mr Hall’s statement. Maybe it’s because Vaughn is essentially playing the same cynical man-child he plays in almost every movie he’s in (something that works particularly well here), and everyone was sick of seeing it, who knows.
Is Fred Claus on your Christmas Watchlist? Are you a Vince Vaughn fan? or is he just a one trick pony? Let us know in the comments below