CS Weekly Archive > Weekend Read > 11/09/07

A Mixed Bag from Santa

By david michael wharton

Fred Claus

Screenplay by Dan Fogelman
Story by Jessie Nelson and Dan Fogelman

It's not even Thanksgiving yet, but we've reached the time of year when the usual crop of holiday movies is unwrapped at the local theaters. Let's be honest: most of these gifts prove to be little more than lumps of coal, though occasionally one will prove worthy of, if not unseating It's a Wonderful Life, at least sharing shelf-space with it. Into the fray this year comes Fred Claus (Vince Vaughn), the older brother you never knew Santa Claus (Paul Giamatti) had. After a promising start—Fred loved Nicholas and vowed to be the best big brother in the world—years of living in the shadow of his saintly sibling have driven the two apart. Now, a need for bail money throws Fred back into Santa's life at the worst possible time, as old St. Nick is struggling to meet deadlines under the unforgiving eye of efficiency expert Clyde (Kevin Spacey). There are a number of clever ideas packed into Fred Claus, ranging from a magical snow globe that allows the elves to witness the fruits of their labor on Christmas morning to a hysterical scene where Fred visits a support group for less-famous siblings (I won't spoil who comprises their membership, but it's a three-part joke that's funnier with every reveal). The sibling rivalry between Santa and Fred plays well, and Vaughn's trademark style of humor works surprisingly well in a PG setting. However, all these pieces never quite seem to connect as well as they should, with the clever moments surrounded by a fairly formulaic and predictable plot that can't quite decide how to balance snark against sentiment. It's often funny, sometimes heartwarming, but not, in the end, particularly memorable.

Fred Claus
Warner Bros.
Rated PG; 116 min.

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David Michael Wharton is the managing editor of CS Weekly and a contributing editor for Creative Screenwriting. He likes to think that he's not the Fredo of his family.

Fred Claus courtesy Warner Bros.

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