MOVIE REVIEW - Four Christmases

Every year there is a new batch of Christmas comedies at the box office, an this year Four Christmases was the most anticipated. Vince Vaughn, and Reece Witherspoon star in this off-beat holiday comedy as well as many other big Hollywood stars, including, Robert Duvall, Jon Voight, Tim McGraw and Dwight Yoakum.

Meet Kate (Witherspoon) and Brad (Vaughn.) They are this seemingly nauseatingly happy 30 ish year old couple that live together. They have nothing but time and money, and spend most of their time running around the world vacationing and avoiding their families, especially at the holidays. But as luck would have it, they have to spend Christmas this year with all four of their natural parents, and all of their new spouses. All of them wacky and nutty, and in the end surprisingly...normal.

FC does have some real funny moments, and also some sophomoric tricks as well. To it's credit, it doesn't fly off in the gutter, like you're thinking it will at any minute. And even though not all of this really works, the underlying story that runs throughout all of the good, and not good hy-jinx, does survive and land on it's feet. Do Brad and Kate really know each other, and will they grow up, or just play house and travel the world together? Sort of coming of age!

Vince Vaughn is what he is. He generally makes people laugh, and puts butts in seats at the box office. But make NO mistake. This movie belongs to Reece Witherspoon. Ever since her Oscar winning Walk The Line, she is operating on a different level. In this limited role, she is funny, compelling, and totally believable. 'Spoon is easy to watch, and relate to. In fact she is way too smart for this movie, but she hangs in there, and gives this picture a texture, and a feel it would not have had with lesser and more cookie cutter talents, that could have been cast here, say Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and the others in that category. This movie had to have 'Spoon, and she makes it work.

Four Christmases. Funny? Yes! Problems? A few. But overall fun, and most anyone can enjoy it. Full of relateable humor, and some pushing of the envelope too. 90 minutes too it doesn't wear out it's welcome. 'Spoon saves ...Four Christmases!