Christmas with the Kranks

When I first watched this a few years back I thought for sure it was going to be a C grade Christmas movie, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Tim Allen basically plays the same character that he has been in everything else, but he's hilarious. Jamie Lee Curtis is also sweet and funny. There are moments when it gets fairly ridiculous, but it's all part of the fun. Some heartfelt moments wrap this up with a nice bow.

I saw the movie Christmas with the Kranks for the first time in theatres. I now own it. I really liked it. It was a light, funny, laid back movie. I don't know why so many people disliked it. I think that you have to have a certain sense of humor to think it was funny. I thought the plot was very entertaining and yes heartwarming. What's wrong with a heartwarming movie about spreading Christmas joy. Why is it so unrealistic? Is it really impossible anymore for people to be nice to one another? To be thoughtful. I think this movie portrays the values of enjoying the little things and simple things in life and perhaps this is why people automatically think this movie is dumb because they don't enjoy and embrace the little things and therefore they are quick to say these certain situations are unrealistic. All movies are a little unrealistic. So what. Like lord of the rings is realistic? come on folks. lighten up.

For the first time, Luther Krank (Tim Allen) and his wife Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) are about to celebrate the holidays without their daughter Blair (Julie Gonzalo), who has just left for the Peace Corps in Peru. Luther sees a Caribbean cruise poster in a Chicago travel agency window, and he begins to plan the trip. First he must see how he will pay for the trip, so he comes up with an idea that if they skipped Christmas, they could go. He will save money by not buying a tree, having a party, or putting up decorations. The neighbors think he is crazy and want him to at least put Frosty the Snowman on his roof for the local decoration contest. The battle begins between the Kranks and their neighbors. Then Blair calls and tells her parents that she is flying home for Christmas with her fiancée. They have twenty-four hours to put up all the decorations and prepare for the Christmas party. The movie was based on a John Grisham book, 'Skipping Christmas'. It is a cute Christmas story with a lot of funny slapstick sketches. It reminds you of the Chevy Chase movie, 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'. Tim Allen does a great job in several comedy scenes, especially, the scenes where he gets bowtox injections in his face and the suntan scene. (Columbia Pictures, Run time 1:39, Rated PG) (5/10)

So I'm giving this a 10 although it's more of an 8. Certainly not a 5.3! I don't know what people expect but I found it very funny & entertaining. Might have something to do with Tim Allen & Dan Ackroyd, two of my favorites. The book, Skipping Christmas by John Grisham, is also very good.

It's a fun amusing film with Jaime Lee Curtis playing a totally different part from her usual. However the underlying tone is also amusing. I don't know if the writers were being ironic but how Christmas has been hijacked by Christmas fundamentalists on how everyone should partake in it. I'm with Luther Krank on this one.