Today’s quick review: Christmas with the Kranks. With their daughter (Julie Gonzalo) away for the holidays, Luther (Tim Allen) and Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) Krank decide to spare themselves the hassle of celebrating Christmas and treat themselves to a Caribbean cruise instead. But their attempt to avoid everything related to Christmas makes them the black sheep of their festive neighborhood, especially in the eyes of Vic Frohmeyer (Dan Aykroyd).
Christmas with the Kranks is a family comedy about a couple trying their best to skip Christmas, in spite of holiday interference from their friends and neighbors. Luther and Nora swear off the temptations of parties, decorations, and caroling while they count the days until their cruise. Christmas with the Kranks pokes fun at the holiday season and its excesses. Light humor, well-matched leads, and a predictable plot make it a fun but shallow watch.
Christmas with the Kranks sticks to the basics but handles them fairly well. Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis are a natural fit for one another, capturing the love, the bickering, and the eccentricities of a happy marriage. Their conflict with their neighbors takes the stresses of the holiday season and cranks them up to comedic proportions. And like most Christmas comedies, Christmas with the Kranks is optimistic and free from any serious drama.
Still, Christmas with the Kranks won’t appeal to everyone. The movie depends heavily on its main characters, so viewers who dislike either Luther or Nora won’t get much out of it. The premise and the way it plays out will rub some viewers the wrong way, especially given how both sides of the conflict are made to look foolish. The plot has a few nice moments but doesn’t have any real surprises, a generic comedy that doesn’t leave a lasting impression.
Christmas with the Kranks is worth a watch for fans of family comedies who are looking for something safe. Neither Christmas with the Kranks’ premise nor its sense of humor are strong enough to win over skeptical viewers, and it’s missing the charm and creativity of the seasonal classics. But viewers who are just looking for a light, pleasant holiday watch may want to give it a shot.
For a more slapstick-heavy family comedy about Christmas in the suburbs, try Home Alone. For a more cartoonish plot against Christmas, try one of the versions of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
5.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for good leads and a decent sense of humor held back by a formulaic story with a hit-or-miss premise.