Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

Director:

Joe Roth

Writers (WGA):

John Grisham (novel)
Chris Columbus (screenplay)

Release Date:

24 November 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Tagline:

Their Christmas will turn the town upside down!

Plot:

With their daughter away, her parents decide to skip Christmas altogether until she decides to come home, causing an uproar when they have to celebrate the holidays at the last minute.

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Vacation | Neighbor | Christmas Eve | Chicago Illinois

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Dec. 19	8:00 PM	FX
Sun. Dec. 20	5:00 PM	FX

Cast

Tim Allen	...	Luther Krank
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Nora Krank
Dan Aykroyd	...	Vic Frohmeyer
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Walt Scheel
Elizabeth Franz	...	Bev Scheel
Erik Per Sullivan	...	Spike Frohmeyer
Cheech Marin	...	Officer Salino
Jake Busey	...	Officer Treen
Austin Pendleton	...	Umbrella Santa / Marty
Tom Poston	...	Father Zabriskie
Julie Gonzalo	...	Blair Krank
René Lavan	...	Enrique Decardenal
Caroline Rhea	...	Candi
Felicity Huffman	...	Merry
Patrick Breen	...	Aubie

Also Known As:

John Grisham's Skipping Christmas (USA) (working title)
Skipping the Holidays (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for brief language and suggestive content.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:All | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Germany:o.Al. | Italy:T | Philippines:G | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:0 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:8 (canton of Zurich) | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Revolution Studios

Trivia:

M. Emmet Walsh who plays the neighbor across the street who doesn't get along with Luther also plays the role of Tim Allen's "Home Improvement" (1991) character Tim Taylor's father-in-law (they, too, do not get along).

Goofs:

Continuity: When police car is moving slowly down the street, view from inside car - windshield wipers are moving, view from outside car - windshield wipers are not moving.

Quotes:

Nora Krank: You forgot the white chocolate!
Luther Krank: They didn't have any.
Nora Krank: Did you talk to Rex?
Luther Krank: Who's Rex?
Nora Krank: The butcher.
Luther Krank: ...as odd as it sounds, I didn't think to ask the butcher where the chocolate was!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Robot Chicken: The Black Cherry (#1.20)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Navidad

Very, very disappointing

Yesterday I was at the cinema with my friend, deciding which film to see. As a huge fan of "Trading Places", and consequently also of Dan Aykroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis (both of whom are wonderful in TP), I mistakenly thought that this would also be worth watching.

It wasn't.

It was just... dull. The plot was extremely thin: someone doesn't want to spend money on Christmas decorations, and the neighbours get upset. That's what it comes down to. It's not enough of a plot from which to make an entire film. Okay, so there was one nice bit: when he gave the cruise tickets away. But to spend £6.50 on two minutes of predictable sentimentality is something I'd rather not do again.

What I found most pathetic is how worked up everyone was getting over nothing. The couple, and the neighbours, were behaving like the world was about to end. For f**k's sake, go and see what REAL problems people have