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Movies / On DVD / Fred Claus
Fred Claus

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Fred Claus (2007)

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Reviews Counted:43

Fresh:8

Rotten:35

Average Rating:2.7/10

Consensus: A slew of talent is wasted in this contrived and overly sentimental Christmas film, which can't quite get the balance between slapstick humor and sentimental family moments.

Runtime: 1 hr 56 mins

Genre: Childrens

US Box Office: $71,970,547

Synopsis: Sibling rivalry takes on a new dimension in director David Dobkin's (WEDDING CRASHERS, CLAY PIGEONS) third collaboration with actor Vince Vaughn, FRED CLAUS. Ever since his younger brother,... Sibling rivalry takes on a new dimension in director David Dobkin's (WEDDING CRASHERS, CLAY PIGEONS) third collaboration with actor Vince Vaughn, FRED CLAUS. Ever since his younger brother, Nicholas (Paul Giamatti), was born, it seems that nothing Fred Claus (Vince Vaughn) does is good enough. Nicholas literally becomes a saint and is beloved by millions worldwide, but Fred is just a regular Joe. When Fred finds himself in need of big money in a hurry, little brother Santa is the only one he can turn to. Soon, Fred is working at the North Pole to earn some quick cash and shaking things up with the elves to the delight of efficiency expert Clyde Northcutt (Kevin Spacey), who is on a mission to close down Santa's operation. Can the dueling Claus brothers work together to save Christmas? A sweet lesson is thrown in amongst the sibling rivalry and hijinx: there are really no naughty children at Christmas, just kids who may need a little or love or a second chance. Vaughn plays a character familiar to us now, fast-talking but likable with good intentions. He's at his best when teaching the elves the merits of rock & roll, or talking himself out of sticky situations. Giamatti is endearing as Santa Claus, who compensates for the stress of his job by overeating. Spacey's emotionally frozen Clyde Northcutt harks back to WILLY WONKA's Slugworth as a villain. Frank Stallone, Roger Clinton, and Stephen Baldwin appear in the film's funniest scene as siblings with rivalry issues. Rounding at the cast are Miranda Richardson as Santa's wife, Kathy Bates as Mother Claus, Elizabeth Banks as Santa's assistant, John Michael Higgins as Wiilie the Head Elf, Rachel Weisz as Fred's girlfriend, and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges as DJ Donnie. [More]

Starring: Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Miranda Richardson, Elizabeth Banks

Starring: Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Miranda Richardson, Elizabeth Banks, John Michael Higgins, Rachel Weisz, Kathy Bates, Kevin Spacey, Trevor Peacock, Ludacris

Director: David Dobkin

Director: David Dobkin
Screenwriter: Dan Fogelman
Story: Jessie Nelson, Dan Fogelman
Producer: Joel Silver, Jessie Nelson, David Dobkin
Composer: Christophe Beck
Studio: Warner Bros.

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for Fred Claus

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1 - 16 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

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Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
04/23/09
Hollywood Reporter

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Full Review Source: Moviehole | comment Comment
02/27/09
Moviehole

Because of the PG rating, the comedy had to be somewhat clean, which crippled Vaughn's improv style.

Full Review Source: 7M Pictures | comment Comment
01/15/09
Kevin Carr
Kevin Carr
7M Pictures
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: DVD Authority.com | comment Comment
12/17/08
Fusion3600
Fusion3600
DVD Authority.com

Fred Claus may not be as funny or as instantly classic as Elf, but it's still a fun family holiday movie--one that didn't deserve the lambasting it took.

Full Review Source: HollywoodinHiDef.com | comment Comment
12/13/08
James Plath
James Plath
HollywoodinHiDef.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: DVDFuture.com | comment Comment
12/03/08
R. L. Shaffer
R. L. Shaffer
DVDFuture.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Ultimate Guide to Disney DVD | comment Comment
12/01/08
Ultimate Guide to Disney DVD
N/R

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Full Review Source: DVD Verdict | comment Comment
12/01/08
Mac McEntire
Mac McEntire
DVD Verdict

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Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly | comment Comment
11/27/08
Entertainment Weekly
N/R

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Full Review Source: DVD Beaver | comment Comment
11/27/08
DVD Beaver

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Full Review Source: Reel.com | comment Comment
11/26/08
Reel.com

Only the youngest or most naive audiences members who have never seen one of these shows will be surprised by anything that happens in the second or third act.

Full Review Source: DVDSleuth.com | comment Comment
11/24/08
Mike Long
Mike Long
DVDSleuth.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: ComingSoon.net | comment Comment
11/24/08
ComingSoon.net

Silly it is. Frenetic it is. Loud it is. Funny it's not. (Blu-ray Edition)

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
11/23/08
John J. Puccio
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com

A feel-bad Christmas flick, not exactly the way anybody would want to kickoff the holiday season.

Full Review Source: NewsBlaze | comment Comment
11/23/08
Kam Williams
Kam Williams
NewsBlaze

Vince Vaughn's famously rude Wedding Crasher gets macho with Ludacris as a m-igitalized feisty Santa elf, while huddling over the pint-sized urinals in the john with another, to clue him about North Pole dirty dancing and romance.

Full Review Source: NewsBlaze | comment Comment
11/22/08
Prairie Miller
Prairie Miller
NewsBlaze
 
 
1 - 16 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
all

Latest News for Fred Claus

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It's Friday, there's a new raft of movies in the UK cinemas this week, but are any of them any good? This week the UK film hacks give us their opinions on Clint Eastwood's... More...

November 24, 2008: RT on DVD: Fred Claus, Hancock, and 24: Redemption
The holidays are upon us, which makes it a perfect week to snuggle up with the superhero (Hancock), the spirited (Fred Claus), or the stealthy (Keifer Sutherland as Jack Bauer... More...

November 23, 2008: Don't make the mistake of misreading this mean-spirited production as a kid-friendly Christmas flick. Opens in new window
More...

November 22, 2008: Vince Vaughn's famously rude Wedding Crasher gets macho with Ludacris as a m-igitalized feisty Santa elf, while huddling over the pint-sized urinals in the john with another, to clue him about North Pole dirty dancing and romance. Opens in new window
More...

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