Fred Claus

Fred Claus (2007)

Saving Christmas and Building Bridges.

It does exactly what it says on the Xmas Movie Tin. Poorly received by the critics and equally unsupported by the internet hordes, Fred Claus may be guilty of sentimentality, but for those in need of a pick me up during yuletide then it delivers the requisite smiles to faces.

Vince Vaughn is Fred, brother of Santa (Paul Giamatti), who has grown up resenting his elder brother. When Fred is in desperate need of cash he gets in touch with Santa to ask for a big loan, Santa will oblige if Fred comes up to the North Pole to work for it. Anger, mirth and bonding does follow as Fred causes mayhem among the elves and finds himself pitched in the middle of a nefarious plan being hatched by Clyde Archibald Northcutt (Kevin Spacey).

Not all the gags work but there are some genuinely funny moments, while the romantic threads are a touch too twee. Yet this wears its Xmas movie heart firmly on its red clothed sleeve, and there's nothing wrong with that. 7/10

Decent watch at best, probably won't watch again, but can recommend for off-brand holiday movies.

While I like watching Vince Vaughn beat up Santa Claus as much as the next person, I'm not a big Vince Vaughn fan. I'd rather see what Paul Giamotti can do with the Santa role, honestly.

Kevin Spacey, being very much himself, is awful, or his character is, and a story needs a good villain. Being a whiny spoiled kid in an adult body doesn't really do it for me, especially in a Santa setting.

(CASTELLANO) Fred Claus, el hermano gamberro de Santa Claus tiene una idea que, en principio, podía haber dado bastante juego: Santa Claus tiene un hermano resentido, egoísta, bocazas y mucho menos ejemplar que él. Con Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Rachel Weisz, Kathy Bates y Kevin Spacey, lo normal sería esperar una comedia navideña con algo más de mala leche, más ritmo y más gracia. Pero la película se queda muy por debajo de ese reparto.

El problema principal es el guion. Todo es demasiado simple, demasiado infantil y demasiado visto. La historia del personaje cínico que no cree en la Navidad, o que la desprecia, o que tiene que aprender una lección de bondad, familia y redención, se ha contado ya de mil maneras. Aquí se cuenta otra vez, pero sin demasiada imaginación. Cambian los nombres, se añade el Polo Norte, se mete al hermano de Santa Claus y poco más.

Vince Vaughn intenta llevar la película hacia su terreno, con su estilo de charla rápida, sarcasmo y gamberrismo algo cansino. A ratos funciona, porque tiene presencia cómica y sabe moverse en personajes egoístas pero no del todo odiosos. Pero el material no le ayuda. La película parece querer que Fred sea un desastre divertido, pero también que sea entrañable, familiar y redimible desde el primer momento. Al final se queda en medio: ni lo bastante traviesa para ser realmente divertida, ni lo bastante tierna para emocionar.

Paul Giamatti como Santa Claus es una de las mejores ideas de la película. Tiene humanidad, cansancio y cierta melancolía, y podría haber dado mucho más de sí. Rachel Weisz, Kathy Bates y Kevin Spacey también están ahí, pero la sensación es que hay demasiado talento para una historia tan pequeña y tan poco inspirada. Da rabia ver un reparto así metido en una comedia que no termina de aprovecharlo.

Visualmente tiene lo esperable: talleres, elfos, nieve, trineos, ambiente navideño y ese tipo de diseño amable que acompaña bien a una película familiar. Pero tampoco ahí hay verdadera sorpresa. Todo parece correcto, pero fabricado. La película no tiene la magia suficiente para ser recordada como clásico navideño ni la mala leche necesaria para convertirse en una alternativa gamberra.

Fred Claus no es insoportable, pero sí muy floja. Puede servir para una tarde de Navidad sin ganas de pensar demasiado, sobre todo si uno acepta que está ante una comedia para niños y familias con algún chiste adulto perdido por el camino. Pero con ese reparto y esa premisa, se podía pedir mucho más. Al final, es un regalo envuelto con papel brillante, pero bastante vacío por dentro.

(ENGLISH) Fred Claus has an idea that, at first, could have offered quite a lot: Santa Claus has a resentful, selfish, loud-mouthed brother who is much less exemplary than he is. With Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Rachel Weisz, Kathy Bates and Kevin Spacey, you would expect a Christmas comedy with more bite, more rhythm and more laughs. But the film falls far below the level of its cast.

The main problem is the script. Everything is too simple, too childish and too familiar. The story of a cynical character who does not believe in Christmas, or dislikes it, or has to learn a lesson about kindness, family and redemption, has already been told in countless ways. Here it is told once again, but without much imagination. The names change, the North Pole is added, Santa’s brother is introduced, and little else.

Vince Vaughn tries to pull the film into his own territory, with his fast-talking style, sarcasm and slightly tiring mischief. At times it works, because he has comic presence and knows how to play selfish characters who are not completely hateful. But the material does not help him. The film seems to want Fred to be a funny disaster, but also lovable, family-friendly and redeemable from the beginning. In the end, it lands somewhere in the middle: not naughty enough to be truly funny, not tender enough to be moving.

Paul Giamatti as Santa Claus is one of the film’s best ideas. He brings humanity, fatigue and a touch of melancholy, and he could have been used much better. Rachel Weisz, Kathy Bates and Kevin Spacey are also there, but the feeling is that there is too much talent for such a small and uninspired story. It is frustrating to see a cast like this trapped in a comedy that never really uses them.

Visually, the film has what you expect: workshops, elves, snow, sleighs, Christmas atmosphere and the kind of friendly design that fits a family movie. But there is no real surprise there either. Everything looks correct, but manufactured. The film does not have enough magic to be remembered as a Christmas classic, nor enough bite to become a mischievous alternative.

Fred Claus is not unbearable, but it is very weak. It can work for a Christmas afternoon when you do not want to think too much, especially if you accept that it is basically a children-and-family comedy with the occasional adult joke along the way. But with that cast and that premise, it should have offered much more. In the end, it is a present wrapped in shiny paper, but rather empty inside.