Harold Goldstein
Christmas spirit and brotherly love come together for the holidays in Fred Claus, a one hour and 56 minute film of two polar-opposite brothers who try to settle their differences and make it through the Christmas season. What is special about this film is not the subliminal Christmas message that everyone should give and love but about the pure essence of family and why families will always stick together until the very end. The basis of the film is about two siblings: Frederick and his littler brother, Nicholas Claus (Or St. Nick). When as children, the two never got along very well and Frederick soon became the outsider of the family while Nicholas gained all the attention. Now it is the 21st Century and the two brothers never hear from each other since when they were young. Suddenly, when Fred gets into trouble with the police, he calls the only person who might help him out: his brother. However, in order to pay off his bail (and other payments) given so generously by Nicholas, Fred must work at his brother’s workshop in the North Pole.Being a film of such a popular holiday, it is filled with moments that will make you laugh, make you cry, and even make you begin to dislike the old Christmas songs you listened to when you were young.One such moment is when Fred, played by Vince Vaughn, gets tired of hearing the same ‘Here Come Santa Claus’ song over and over again while he is trying to finish his work on checking children who are naughty or nice. Also, the film portrays a different kind of Santa Claus that many people know and love. It shows that Christmas can be tough on even a person such as Santa and portrays Santa as a stressed-out businessman rather than the red-cheeked, cookie-eating, jolly ol’ St. Nick. Not only does the film have a heartwarming story, but also it is smoothly told in the acting abilities of a remarkable cast. Vince Vaughn is hilarious throughout the film with team player Paul Giamatti playing the role of Fred’s brother Nick along with Rachel Weisz who plays Wanda, Fred’s romantic crush, and Kevin Spacey as the evil corporate employee Clyde Northcut. Overall, Fred Claus will not only make you laugh out loud until your lungs bleed but will warm your heart and make you wonder about what the true meaning of Christmas is really all about.Overall Rating: A-