With a stellar cast of Hollywood hot properties, Four Christmases ought to be a runaway hit. Many reviewers however thought differently and were, in several cases, unkind. Yet, despite its flaws Four Christmases works magically well as both a cautionary Christmas tale of the bonds our families wield and the facades we build about ourselves in the quest for a perfect relationship. Hardcore never-getting-marrieders, Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) have spent their years together outright lying to their dysfunctional families about their whereabouts at Christmas. Unwilling to face the trauma of doing the rounds, they make-up stories of overseas good-deeding in third world countries while secretly vacationing in Fiji. But this year they are caught out in the fib and must tour Kate and Brad's wonky families including Paula (Sissy Spacek) and Howard (Robert Duvall) - Brad's folks - and Kate's parents Marilyn (Mary Steenburgen) and Creighton (Jon Voight). Seth Gordan directs this hodgepodge that, despite its really bad bits (and there are plenty!), comes off revealing the complicated emotions pent up in Kate and Brad with a truism that is both well written and expertly portrayed.
There is a great moral here as all great Christmas films must have, and for that my rating 8 out of 10.
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