Mein Schatz, unsere Familie und ich (2008)

A couple struggles to visit all four of their divorced parents on Christmas.

Director:

Seth Gordon

Writers:

Matt Allen (screenplay) (as Matt R. Allen), Caleb Wilson (screenplay)

Stars:

Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn, Mary Steenburgen

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vince Vaughn	...	Brad
Reese Witherspoon	...	Kate
Robert Duvall	...	Howard
Sissy Spacek	...	Paula
Jon Voight	...	Creighton
Jon Favreau	...	Denver
Mary Steenburgen	...	Marilyn
Dwight Yoakam	...	Pastor Phil
Tim McGraw	...	Dallas
Kristin Chenoweth	...	Courtney
Katy Mixon	...	Susan
Colleen Camp	...	Aunt Donna
Jeanette Miller	...	Gram-Gram
Jack Donner	...	Grandpa
Steve Wiebe	...	Jim

Storyline

Brad and Kate have been together three years, in love, having fun, doing all sorts of things together with no intention of marriage or children. Christmas morning, they're on their way to Fiji, having told their two sets of divorced parents that they're off to do charity work. Through a fluke, they have no choice but to visit each of their four idiosyncratic parents. As the day progresses, Brad and Kate remember growing up, each learns more about the other, and Kate realizes that her life may not be as good as it could be. Do they know each other well enough to weather the storms families bring?

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Plot Keywords:

christmas | airport | news broadcast | tv broadcast | tv news | 

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Taglines:

His father, her mother, his mother and her father all in one day.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sexual humor and language

Details

Official Sites:

Bofilm's - Soundtrack (various formats) Official Facebook

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 November 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mein Schatz, unsere Familie und ich

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$80,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£2,275,585 (UK) (28 November 2008)

Gross:

$120,136,047 (USA) (6 February 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Line Cinema, Spyglass Entertainment, Wild West Picture Show Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When talking about not being married after the dance lesson, Brad refers to the famous short story "The Most Dangerous Game", written by Richard Connell in 1924. The story deals with a wealthy Cossack who hunts men on his private island, the scenario Brad is referring to.

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Goofs

While Kate and Brad are arguing in the car, going to their final Christmas at her father's, there is an obvious re-shoot because at some points she is wearing a wig and then in the next shot it is back to her normal hair. It goes back and forth this way throughout the scene.

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Quotes

Brad: I'm sorry, I didn't know there was a ten dollar spending cap.
Howard: Well, maybe if you came home more than once a decade, you'd know crap like that!

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Connections

References The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)

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Soundtracks

Joy To The World
Written by Hoyt Axton

User Reviews

Can't spell "families" without "lies"

Four Christmases starring Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn, I suppose I can accept it, just very strange seeing them as a couple on screen together. But anyways, every year we get a Chrismas movie, it's either going to be fun or really bad, sorry to say, but Four Christmases is nothing special, another year with an easy to forget movie. But still while this movie doesn't really stand out and it is incredibly predictable, there are some really fun moments. We at least finally have the split up family vs just one crazy family. Reese really turned on the charm and stole this movie, she was so adorable and she was great in the jump jump scene with the evil kids. Vince had some moments as well, but it's more the supporting cast that was just a fun addition to the story.

When upscale, happily unmarried San Francisco couple Kate and Brad find themselves socked in by fog on Christmas morning, their exotic vacation plans morph into the family-centric holiday they had, until now, gleefully avoided. Out of obligation-and unable to escape-they trudge to not one, not two, but four relative-choked festivities, increasingly mortified to find childhood fears raised, adolescent wounds reopened...and their very future together uncertain. As Brad counts the hours to when he can get away from their parents, step-parents, siblings and an assortment of nieces and nephews, Kate is starting to hear the ticking of a different kind of clock. And by the end of the day, she is beginning to wonder if their crazy families' choices are not so crazy after all.

I would recommend Four Christmases just if you wanna see a cute holiday movie in the theater this year. Vince and Reese had good chemistry and this movie just represents the craziness of having to go to all the families every year for Christmas. There are some really good laughs here and there, I loved the scene where Reese played the Virgin Mary and Vince was Joesph in their church play and Reese just gets stage fright and freezes while Vince just makes a fool of himself on stage. Over all this is a cute movie, there's nothing special about it, but it's worth the look.

6/10