Christmas with the Kranks

Saw Christmas With The Kranks when it first hit the theaters. It struck me as kind of dumb, somewhat obnoxious, and highly improbable. My wife and her sister laughed through the enitre movie. My brother-in-law and I looked at each other and shrugged. We didnt get it. I looked around the theater, and found most of those laughing - were women. Their dates were looking as bewildered as us. It was as if the movie was intended as an in-joke for women. A year later, Christmas With The Kranks came out on DVD. I picked up a copy for my wife, and as youd expect, she talked me into watching it with her. I found myself almost liking it. The next evening, with the house to myself - I decided to play it again. I dont even know why. But, it all began to make sense. I could see what my wife, her sister, and all the women in the theater found so funny. It isnt the over-the-top, slapstick of Tim Allen (who I am a fan of). Its the subtle humor of the more true-to-life Jamie Lee Curtis. Shes the perfect foil for Tim Allen. But more than that - shes the unsung STAR of this Christmas comedy. Once I understood that - the movie became very funny for me. Now, its a staple of our Christmas classics viewing.

We love this Christmas flick and consider it one of the very best holiday efforts. You do not have a Christmas Film collection if you dont have this in your collection! Perfectly done and full of laughs. We watch it every time Christmas rolls around.

OK, this isnt the most profound Christmas movie ever made--we all know what that is already. Nothing will ever touch Its a Wonderful Life as far as great Christmas movies go--very few movies on any subject are that great. But nonetheless, Christmas with the Kranks is a fun movie that demands little in the way of emotional or intellectual devotion--its just a sweet innocent family movie that was designed to make you feel good and hopefully make you laugh a few times and this movie does its job extremely well. I first saw this film on TV and, because I didnt see it from the start, I ordered it online and, by sheer coincidence, it was the first movie I watched on my new TV. I think that both Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis are underrated comedic actors and they both play very likable characters in this film. Yes, of course, the story is contrived and silly and the screenplay has logic gaps that you could drive a Christmas-tree truck through, but its still a fun film that everyone in the family can watch. And there are a few tender moments that are pretty well done. One of the things that I love is the aerial footage of the neighborhood (probably just a model or done with CGI) with all the Christmas lights lit--some extremely pretty photography. The neighborhood in the film is a very idealized vision of suburbia, but thats OK--nothing wrong with playing to peoples fantasies of what life should be. Anyway, not a ground-breaking film by any means, but an extremely pleasant way to sip a cup of tea, eat a few Christmas cookies and enjoy some stress-free Christmas moments. I watched the movie after Christmas because, as much as I love Christmas movies, Ive pretty much grown to loathe what has become of the holiday itself. The frustrating thing for me in watching films like this is wondering: How close was this to being a great film if they had only hired better writers to punch up the script--or perhaps if they had left the original script alone? Im going to read Grishams book and see.

You have to watch this at least once each Christmas!

Great Movie!!

I have been trying for a few years to find this movie, but could not find it. thanks

Funny holiday story - obviously a comedy - I am a fan of Jamie Lee Curtis... Im ok with Tim Allen - together they are funny. Story goes that adult daughter is leaving for the peace corps and wont be home for Christmas - Mom (Jamie Lee Curtis) loves the celebration of Christmas and is sad that her only child wont be home. They live in a tight knit nosey neighborhood. Tim Allen gets the idea they could skip Christmas and take a sunny warm cruise instead. Neighbors are unhappy the Kranks are skipping Christmas and then the daughter announces she will be coming home for Christmas after all with a fiance to boot. Lightweight story but sometimes you want something new at the holidays. We usually fit this one in. We purchase the streaming version so we dont have to store the DVD.

Better than I expected and the quality on Blu Ray disc was very good. My sister urged me to watch this one from the 90s that I had never seen. My family and I were pleasantly surprised by this good natured Tim Allen Christmas flik that never tries to rip off The Santa Clause.

Laughing, crying, vomiting, it does it all for you.

- Funny movie - gets better EVER time you watch it ...