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| Four Christmases - 2008 |
2008's "Four Christmases" tells the story of a couple who usually travel abroad so they can avoid their families during the holidays. This Christmas, however, sees them staying in town because of bad weather. They spend the day with their respective families and end up discovering things about each other that they never even knew.
The film's cast includes Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight, Jon Favreau, Mary Steenburgen, Dwight Yoakam, Tim McGraw, Kristin Chenoweth, Katy Mixon, Peter Billingsley, Brian Baumgartner, Carol Kane, and Jeanette Miller.
Brad and Kate are a fun-loving, San Francisco-based couple who enjoy the lighter side of life. They don't want marriage or kids, and neither of them like spending time with their families at Christmas. In fact, every year they travel to some foreign destination on Christmas Day so that they have an excuse not to visit with them.
This year, however, a thick fog ruins their travel plans and grounds all outbound flights. When they are interviewed by a news crew, their families now know that they are in town, and they insist they come to visit.
First up is a visit to Brad's father Howard and Brad's two rowdy brothers. Kate learns that Brad's real name is "Orlando" and can't believe he never told her.
It's a very different atmosphere at this house. From the food choices to the brothers' wrestling matches, Kate take it all in.
However, Brad and Kate have to make a quick exit when Brad ignites a television set on fire and Kate accidentally knocks a baby's head against a door. "Give me back my baby," comes the angry response from the baby's mother.
The next house visited belongs to Kate's mom, Marilyn. Kate instantly recognizes changes when she sees religious figures along the walkway to the door.
After warning Brad that it could be a kind of "cougar den" inside the house, Brad finds out firsthand what Kate meant. The ladies love him!
Kate doesn't have such a great time when her sister begins to tease her and she must also relive some terrible childhood memories that involve a bouncy house.
And things get even more uncomfortable for the duo when they visit the church pastored by Kate's mother's boyfriend, Pastor Phil. They are recruited to play Joseph and Mary in the Christmas pageant, a role Brad takes to with gusto.
Next it's on to Brad's mother's house, where Kate finds out that Brad's mother Paul is married to his former childhood best friend, which irritates Brad to no end.
There's also a pretty intense game of Taboo. Kate and Brad realize they don't know each other as well as they thought.
It causes Kate to rethink their entire relationship. So much so, that she decides to go to her father's house alone. There she watches as her family blends together peacefully, something she's never observed before.
And a heart to heart talk with her father lets Kate know that everything is going to be alright.
It turns out everything IS alright. Kate and Brad reconcile and agree to dive into a fully committed relationship, which includes marriage and a family of their own.
Cast rundown:
Vince Vaughn.............................Brad McVie
Reese Witherspoon.....................Kate
Robert Duvall.............................Howard McVie
Sissy Spacek.............................Paula
Jon Voight.................................Creighton
Jon Favreau...............................Denver McVie
Mary Steenburgen......................Marilyn
Dwight Yoakam..........................Pastor Phil
Tim McGraw..............................Dallas McVie
Kristin Chenoweth......................Courtney
Katy Mixon................................Susan McVie
Peter Billingsley..........................Ticket Agent
Brian Baumgartner.....................Eric
Carol Kane................................Aunt Sarah
Jeanette Miller...........................Gram-Gram
And that's it for Four Christmases. Apparently, Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn did not get along during filming. He arrived on set late and unkempt, while she arrived on time and looking camera-ready. Vince Vaughn didn't promote the film when it was reported in the gossip columns that there were problems on the set. However, watching the film, you would never know that the two principle actors were at odds.
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