Deck the Halls (2006)

Two neighbors have it out after one of them decorates his house for the holidays so brightly that it can be seen from space.

Director:

John Whitesell

Writers:

Matt Corman, Chris Ord

Stars:

Matthew Broderick, Danny DeVito, Kristin Chenoweth

1 win & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Danny DeVito	...	Buddy Hall
Matthew Broderick	...	Steve Finch
Kristin Davis	...	Kelly Finch
Kristin Chenoweth	...	Tia Hall
Alia Shawkat	...	Madison Finch
Dylan Blue	...	Carter Finch
Kelly Aldridge	...	Ashley Hall
Sabrina Aldridge	...	Emily Hall
Jorge Garcia	...	Wallace
Fred Armisen	...	Gustave
Gillian Vigman	...	Gerta
Ryan Devlin	...	Bob Murray
Sean O'Bryan	...	Mayor Young
SuChin Pak	...	Herself
Jackie Burroughs	...	Mrs. Ryor

Storyline

Optometrist Steve Finch loves those Christmas traditions he has set up with his family and his town. As such, he has a schedule of activities for his family starting on December 1st, and is the official unofficial consultant for anything Christmas related in his town of Cloverdale, Massachusetts. During the Christmas season, the Halls move in to the house across the street from the Finch's. The Halls in general are different in outlook and temperament than the Finches. Unlike Steve, Buddy Hall scams his way through life and never follows through with anything he starts. While Kelly Finch and Tia Hall - Steve's wife and Buddy's wife respectively - and their children begin friendships based largely on those differences, Steve and Buddy butt heads based on those differences. It begins with Buddy striving to have his house seen from outer space by decorating it as lavishly and brightly as possible. One of the results of Buddy's task his that he becomes the new go to guy for anything ...

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Plot Keywords:

twin | cleavage | scantily clad female | twins | blonde | 

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Taglines:

There glows the neighborhood

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Genres:

Comedy | Family

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some crude and suggestive humor, and for language

Details

Official Sites:

Twentieth Century Fox [France] Twentieth Century Fox [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

22 November 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

All Lit Up

Filming Locations:

Holy Trinity Cathedral - 514 Carnarvon Street, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$12,001,256, 24 November 2006, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$35,092,918, 4 February 2007

Company Credits

Production Co:

Regency Enterprises, New Regency Pictures, Corduroy Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Danny DeVito's house used LED lights to provide remarkable displays not possible with traditional Christmas lights. Otherwise, the lighting could only be done by special effect computers. The lights, from Boston-based Color Kinetics, formed a "digital skin" around DeVito's house, acting like pixels on a TV screen. At one point, the roof of DeVito's house turned into a live video display of DeVito's face. At maximum intensity, the 14,300 LED nodes used just 7,150 watts of energy, the equivalent of four average hair dryers. Wrapping the house with conventional exterior string lights would have used approximately 100,100 watts, 14 times more than the LED installation, and without the capability for programmable effects. The entire LED installation used a total of 126 amps, about as much as 1.3 average households. Conventional exterior string lights would have used 812 amps, the equivalent of 8 houses' worth of power.

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Goofs

When Buddy is taking out the garbage. he steps on a green Christmas light bulb and a crunching sound is heard. However, when he picks up the bulb to examine it, the bulb is intact.

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Quotes

Tia Hall: I used to do a bit of modeling, mainly for college classes... that's how I met Buddy.
Kelly Finch: Oh, was he a professor?
Tia Hall: No, he was the one they caught peeping in the windows.

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Connections

Referenced in Deck the Halls: Bloopers (2007)

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Soundtracks

The Twelve Days of Christmas
(uncredited)
Traditional, arranged by Frederic Austin

User Reviews

I found more heart in Scarface

We have reached that time of year again. Every year, or every couple of years, we have a fake Christmas comedy that comes out just for the sake of making money, with no heart. In 2004 we had Christmas with the Kranks which is one of the worst reviewed movies ever, but god help me but I found enjoyment in that film, believe it or not. I am known as Mr. Christmas, I love the holiday itself and I love its movies, most of them always bring me joy, my favourite one being The Polar Express. Now, I try to find joy in most holiday themed movies I watch, but when filmmakers have sunk to such low levels Deck the Halls, it's hard to melt the cold hard plastic that it is. But honestly, how could we have expected a classic from the man who brought us such great films as "Big Momma's House 2", and the unforgettable "Malibu's Most Wanted"? I sound very angry, but you know what, enough is enough. What happened to filmmakers putting heart into a Christmas movie, or any movie for that matter? What happened to being excited for such Christmas classics as Elf, The Santa Clause, A Christmas Story, It's A Wonderful Life, Home Alone, or The Polar Express. Movies were the story, and the message matter was heart and holiday joy. I'm sick of studios making these "Christmas" movies that are just released for the simple fact that is money, these films show what Christmas has truly become, all about the presents. This film may have had no promise and, and I may have had no expectations for it, but to sink as low as this, and to have such a fake and cold-hearted movie, is just sad and disturbing. Box-office poison, Matthew Broderick strikes again with yet another box-office poison machine, Danny DeVito. Never have I seen a movie with such a cast of actors I hate.

I mean, at least Christmas with the Kranks had Tim Allen & Jamie Lee Curtis who are normally two very funny people, to bring some joy to it. In Deck the Halls we receive Danny DeVito, who just makes your skin crawl, and who is always stuck in movies with hot wives, what is that about? Then there's Matthew Broderick who hasn't delivered a classic or hit since who knows how long, it's been a long while since his fantastic work in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Election, two classics. Then adding to that for female contribution there's nails on chalk board voices Kristen Chenoweth and Kristen Davis, although Chenoweth at moments is funny in this rather forgettable comedy. DeVito and Broderick have as much chemistry as an apple and a plate, enough said. My main beef with the movie however, is something Kranks actually had, a message and an ending to it where all the garbage comes together and you actually, cared. Here we have just scenes put together called a movie, and ending that comes from no where but cliché-land. It doesn't even strive for something original, it's just here, put some "heart" into it. I found more heart in Scarface.

We have come to the age where the story doesn't matter to this films, you slap a Christmas theme on it, and there you have a holiday hit. I mean, at least the recently released The Santa Clause 3 had a message and heart, this has nothing. I mean, it's about a man wanting to have his house seen from space, compensating for something much? Broderick's character doesn't even have a fight, if you know what I mean. They could've competed for the brightest house, that would have been more interesting, but no, we have to see him get slammed with Camel snot, put into its dung, and worst of all Danny DeVito make out with Chenoweth. It sounds as nasty as it is, I pray for her to make a full recovery. The house being lit with half a million lights is incredibly clichéd, and very annoying to the eyes. I remember when I had retinas, it's blinding to say the least. The ending again to this film without giving anything away, is so fake and cold, and so heartless, I was honestly in shock at how it comes together. In the future, I pray for someone in Hollywood to come up with an original, heartfelt holiday movie.

Bottom Line:

As cold and heartless as the light bulbs surrounding the house.

Review written by Jordan Appugliesi for www.boxofficefanatic.com