Review: Christmas with the Kranks

John Grisham might not have had Tim Allen (now A Christmas icon with his 
The Santa Clause franchise) in mind while he was writing the part of Luther
Krank in his novel Skipping Christmas, however once Sony/Colombia got a hold
of it, that's exactly what happened. If you loved the book then there's a 
good chance you'll like this film. That is of course if the idea of Tim Allen
hamming it up for an hour and a half doesnŐt turn you off. But really... what
did you expect? 

Christmas is big at the Kranks, as it is with their whole community. There
are parties, donations, invitations and hams. Every house in the neighborhood
is decorated, identically. But this year itŐs different -- The Kranks'
daughter Blair (Julie Gonzalo) will be away doing work for the Peace Corps.
Luther's wife Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) doesn't take it well. Christmas is so 
different without their daughter all the fun, joy and wonder seems to have
left the season. Luther, while standing in front of a billboard in the cold 
Chicago rain, has a moment of insight, clarity, an epiphany if you will. He
decides that he and Nora will skip Christmas this year and instead, take a
cruise. 

Luther is a man of principles and when he says heŐs skipping Christmas, he
means it. No tree, donations, no presents, no party and especially
NO DECORATIONS. This comes as quite a shock to the community, led by 
Vic Frohmeyer (Dan Aykroyd), who feel that the Kranks are just being selfish
and scrooge-y. Luther's neighbors then begin a campaign or slow torture, 
bullying, and a touch of subtle hints to convince the family to give it up and 
join the season. But itŐs not until Christmas Eve, when we learn that Blair is
in fact going to be joining her family that evening, when the Kranks finally
get the holiday spirit after which follows a last minute scramble to do the
impossible. 

This story leaves me a little disturbed. The scenes where the Kranks are being
castigated for their non-Christmas cheer are brutal. My fingers by literally
clawing at the seat stopped me from running from the theater and allowed me to
stick through to the end.  Aside from the earlier attempts by Tim Allen to be
funny, they were the most torturous scenes I've seen since Schindler's List.
The movie definitely made its point: if you dis' Christmas you will pay.

We leave the film with everyone happy, the Kranks has learned the "errors" of
their ways and have been successfully re-assimilated into the group. All
thoughts of individualism or more specifically non-materialism have been
purged and Christmas can go back to normal. 

If you ignore the disturbing underlying social commentary, which I'm sure you
will, this is a cute Christmas movie, so in my book that's worth three stars.

Starring: Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd
Directed By: Joe Roth
Rated: PG (language)
Christmas with the Kranks opens this Wednesday

By: David Kerr
Detroit Buzz Staff Film Critic