Boys, I don't want to speak ill of your mother on Christmas, but she's nothing but a common street whore.

Four Christmases

(2008)

As desperate Christmas comedy movie premises go, this one actually has a bit of potential. Unmarried couple Vince Vaughn (hey, in a Christmas movie? Surely not!) and Reece Witherspoon have their holiday to Fiji nixed and are forced to spend Christmas Day visiting each of their divorced parents. Lots of yuks in there, surely.

Well, not really. Particularly since a message about family, and having families, is forced puking and retching into the mix. There's a fairly slim running time, and with four credited writers one wonders what was left on the cutting room floor. Certainly, all four visits lack something on the inspiration front and tend to be rendered watchable by the dint of the supporting cast’s efforts.

Robert Duvall plays Vaughn’s dad, but Vince’s real life buddy Jon Favreau makes more of an impression as one of this wrestler brothers. Then there is Mary Steenburgen as Witherspoon’s mum and a well cast (as in bears a resemblance) Kristin Chenowerth as her sister, Sissy Spaceky as Vaughn’s mum and Jon Voight as Witherspoon’s dad.

All in all it’s a bit of a waste of talent, but at least the variety and brevity keeps it watchable.

**1/2

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She writes Twilight fan fiction.

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Now In Full Color, with a Happier Ending

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