USA, 2004
Director: Joe Roth
Score: **

Luther Krank (Tim Allen) decides to skip Christmas and head out for a luxury honeymoon cruise with his wife, Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis). No annual Christmas eve party, no sending of Christmas cards, no donations and no outdoor decorations for this family. The trouble is that the neighbours, led by one very agitated Vic Frohmeyer (Dan Aykroyd)—the self appointed leader of the street—will not let the Kranks get away with it. This is the premise for the first three quarters of the film—supposedly one that should provide ample opportunity for a barrel of seasonal good cheer.  Based oddly enough on the novel SKIPPING CHRISTMAS by lawyer author John Grisham (A TIME TO KILL, THE CLIENT), an author not renowned for comedy, the film at least boasts Hollywood Christmastide veterans writer Chris Columbus (the Christmas HOME ALONE movies) and actor/comedian Tim Allen (the two SANTA CLAUSE movies). But as in the other Chris Columbus films, CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS is burdened with sappy sentiment in the last quarter in order to help viewers feel good for the season. 

But the film contains a fair share of funny moments. Tim Allen contorts a hilarious facial number after a Botox treatment—though director Joe Roth (the AMERICAN SWEETHEARTS comedy flop) over-milks it for what it is worth. Aykroyd is hilarious as the vengeful neighbor, be it screaming out carols or devising ways to get his own back on the Kranks. The other cast members are merely there for straight support. Jamie Lee Curtis is present just to bear punishment, M. Emmet Walsh to spur out insults and Julie Gonzalo (as the daughter) to look cuddly and innocent. Even comedians Cheech Marin and actor Jake Busey have nothing much funny to say or do. Many jokes (the first one, for example setting the pace for the worse that is to come, where Luther steps over a puddle of water only to have a car run over it behind him) and comedic set pieces (e.g. Nora chasing the tin of Hickory ham) fail miserably. But unbearable are the manipulative feel good bits that the viewer knows are coming in the last reel.

Making a Christmas film is no easy task and only a handful of yuletide films remain as faithful re-runs. CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS is one reason why viewers should be skipping Christmas films. The season often brings out the worst in filmmaking.

Review by Gilbert Seah.