CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS is based on John Grisham's best-selling novel, "Skipping Christmas". The title was changed to avoid confusion with SURVIVING CHRISTMAS, which was released the same year. This film is Tim Allen's fourth Christmas movie to date.
Luther Krank (Tim Allen) estimates that Christmas costs him $6,000, so he convinces his wife Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) to skip Christmas and take a Caribbean cruise instead. It's an all or nothing decision: there will be absolutely no Christmas for the Kranks
Their friends, neighbours and associates react with extreme disapproval. Luther Krank becomes increasingly Scrooge-like. For example, when a religious group comes singing Christmas carols at his door, Luther considers them to be "trespassers". Spike Frohmeyer says, "You're skipping Christmas! Isn't that against the law?"
Then teen-age daughter Blair (Julie Gonzalo) phones to announce she'll be coming home for Christmas. Luther and Nora abruptly change their plans and celebrate the holiday season after all. The second half of the film is more like what you'd expect from a Christmas movie.
Nora: "You forgot the white chocolate."
Luther: "They didn't have any."
Nora: "Did you talk to Rex?"
Luther: "Who's Rex?"
Nora: "The butcher."
Luther: "As odd as it sounds, I didn't think to ask the butcher where the chocolate was!"
(last lines)
Luther: "Skipping Christmas. What a stupid idea."
Nora: "Maybe next year."
Also in the cast are: Dan Aykroyd (Vic Frohmeyer), M. Emmett Walsh (Walt Scheel), Elizabeth Franz (Bev Scheel), Eric Per Sullivan (Spike Frohmeyer), Cheeh Marin (Officer Salino), Jake Busey (Officer Treen), Austin Pendleton (Marty), Tom Poston (Father Zabriskie), Rene Levan (Enrique DeCardenal), Caroline Rhea (Candi), Felicity Huffman (Merry), Patrick Breen (Aubie), John Short (Ned Becker), Bonita Friedericy (Jude Becker), David Hornsby (Randy Becker), Kevin Chamberlain (Mr. Scanlon), Lyndon Smith (Randy Scanlon), Ryan Pfening (Gus Scanlon), Mark Christopher Lawrence (Wes Trodgen), Rachel L. Smith (Trish Trodgen), Vernee Watson-Johnson (Dox), Arden Myrin (Daisy), Dava Hulsey (Amanda Frohmeyer), and many others. Chris Columbus wrote the script from John Grisham's novel. Music is by John Debney and Paul Morabito. Joe Roth directed.
Looking at the internet entries, film critics generally do not like this film. Ordinary viewers' opinions vary tremendously. Some give it one star, some give it five stars, and most are in-between.
I watched it last night on DVD for the first time. The picture quality was great and I liked having the choice between wide-screen and full-screen formats (I chose full-screen). Like most DVDs the sound level was too low with too much dynamic range, so I was constantly adjusting the volume on my surround sound system.
CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS was amusing and always held my interest. It was good to see Dan Aykroyd and Cheech Marin. However, the film seemed mediocre and just another Christmas "product". I was turned off by the premise that it's best to conform to the expectations of others, but I liked that it stressed the importance of family, friends, and neighbours.
