Movie Review: Fred Claus

Something tells me that I am going to have an unpopular opinion of this movie. No, it is not life and death and no, in the long run it is not all that important. However, I have to say that Fred Claus is a good movie. No, it is not perfect. If there is one thing that this film has nothing to worry about, it's being perfect. It moves forward at a pretty good pace, effortlessly shifting tones, providing laughs for the kids, and a little more depth for the adults.

It should be said that this is coming from someone who had rather low expectations going in. Perhaps that is the key to why I liked it? I wonder if my expectations had been higher if my enjoyment level would have decreased in proportion to said expectations? Fred Claus is a movie that has plenty to go around, even though it does not have much in the way of new insight to offer.

Last year, when the teaser announced its impending arrival, I was immediately interested. The trailer features stars Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti sitting on a couch having a brotherly conversation about how Vince, as the titular Fred, never calls his mother or comes for visits. It was funny and seemed to promise the potential for a holiday classic. Months later, in late Summer/early Fall, the full trailer appeared and any hope and good will instilled by the teaser evaporated in the presence of secret service elves. The moment they appeared and tackled Vince, I became somewhat convinced that this was going to turn out to be an awful attempt at a family holiday flick.

Comparisons to Elf seem to be inevitable for this movie, although mentions of the The Santa Clause series are not out of the question. Fred Claus attempts to capture the aura of Elf and its fish out of water tale. It succeeds in getting the bright colored look right, however it fails to capture the unending sweetness of the 2003 film. In its place is a mish-mash of tone, ranging from the silly to the darkly dramatic, to flat out weird. At times it is a jarring mix with little transition, but in the end I find that it ultimately works, in an uneven sort of way.

Article Author: Chris Beaumont

Christopher Beaumont spends much of his time writing about music and movies when he isn't indulging in them. He is always ready to talk about his favorite form of entertainment and offer up recommendations. Follow: Twitter and Tumblr. Visit: Critical Outcast. …

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