Four Christmases (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:

exploding television | christmas in title | christmas season | parent | number 4 in title | 

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Taglines:

Four families, one day, no mercy.

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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

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of three screenplays mentioned by Blake Snyder in his book, "Save the Cat", as an example of a good logline. It is the only one of the scripts mentioned that became a completed film. He also says that all three speculative scripts sold in the six to seven figure range.

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Goofs

A news crew is shown doing a live report with a wireless video camera, a technology that wasn't in use in 2008, when the film takes place. This is likely to be merely an instance of not including a cord that cast or crew might trip over.

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Quotes

Brad: I'm sorry, I didn't know there was a $10 spending cap.
Howard: Well, maybe if you came home more than once a decade, you'd know crap like that!

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Alternate Versions

The French release, distributed by Metropolitan Filmexport replaces the opening title card with one featuring the French title "Tout...Sauf En Famille" (which translates to Anywhere...Except Amongst Family) instead of having the original English title and subtitling it with the French one as is more common. Also, while an English title is displayed during the end credits, that one is not "Four Christmases" but "Anywhere But Home", the international English title for the film.

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Connections

References Pretty Woman (1990)

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Soundtracks

Christmas All Over Again
Written by Tom Petty
Performed by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)
Courtesy of Gone Gator Records

User Reviews

Watch it every year!

I don't know why everyone hates on this movie, I laugh through the entire thing. I have seen it probably 5 times now, and still enjoy it. It also has a stellar cast with Robert Devall, Tim McGraw, I mean come on, it even has Dwight Yoakam in it. It's funny, light hearted, and sweet at the end. Anyway, I just thought people should give it a chance. It had bad reviews when it came out, and my mom and I saw it in theaters and disagreed with the reviews then.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Warner Bros. [United States]

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 November 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Four Christmases

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$80,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$31,069,826, 30 November 2008

Gross USA:

$120,146,040

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$164,112,721

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