Four Christmases

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Following Fred Claus with another Yuletide comedy, this time, Vince Vaughn has his star wattage backed up by Reese Witherspoon in this sporadically amusing film, about a couple both estranged from their respective families ("you can't spell 'families without 'lies'"). Both are grudgingly forced to spend Christmas with all four parents, when their heavily-planned festive getaway is foiled by mist over San Francisco airport. Naturally, much hi-jinx ensues. It's also a reunion of sorts for the Swingers crew, as Vaughn, the (always brilliant) Jon Favreau and Patrick Van Horn share celluloid for the first time since their breakout hit - it's just a shame the script doesn't have the laughs to compliment the gifted cast. Vaughn and Witherspoon are both A-list stars for a reason - their talents are obvious - but here, they're constantly hampered by lacklustre, often lazy writing, and a director who doesn't know how to let a gag breathe. Vaughn's comedy is not punchline-driven - it's all about energy - but his frequently hilarious sardonic improv has been smothered by a director who's obviously on his first feature, and a co-star not used to inflicting on-the-spot retorts. That's not to say there aren't laughs; but the film is too uneven and unsure of what it wants to be, to make those laughs anything more than slight chuckles. Also, despite the title, this is not a Christmas movie, and those looking to get into the spirit of the season will be dejected by the lack of merry ambience. That may have been intentional, but when your film is lacking in other areas it helps to have something fundamentally cheery to fall back on. With a barrage of weighty supporting players each given little time to make an impression (Jon Voight literally has two scenes) Four Christmases can sometimes feel pointless and flat; which it surely would've been, if not for the genuine charisma of Vaughn and the fact that (thanks to fine acting) you genuinely buy these two in a relationship. Worth watching for Vaughn fanatics, it's nonetheless disappointing, given the concoction of comedic ability on show