Fred Claus (2007)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

David Dobkin

Writers (WGA):

Dan Fogelman (screenplay)
Jessie Nelson (story) ...

Release Date:

9 November 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

Santa's brother is coming to town.

Plot:

Fred Claus, Santa's bitter older brother, is forced to move to the North Pole.

Plot Keywords:

North Pole | Christmas | DJ | Brother Brother Relationship | Good Deed

Cast

Vince Vaughn	...	Fred Claus
Paul Giamatti	...	Nick (Santa) Claus
John Michael Higgins	...	Willie
Miranda Richardson	...	Annette Claus
Rachel Weisz	...	Wanda
Kathy Bates	...	Mother Claus
Trevor Peacock	...	Papa Claus
Ludacris	...	DJ Donnie (as Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges)
Elizabeth Banks	...	Charlene
Jeremy Swift	...	Bob Elf
Elizabeth Berrington	...	Linda Elf
Kevin Spacey	...	Clyde
Rio Hackford	...	Leon
Bobb'e J. Thompson	...	Slam
Allan Corduner	...	Dr. Goldfarb

Also Known As:

Joe Claus (USA) (working title)
Untitled Vince Vaughn/David Dobkin Project (USA) (working title)
El hermano de Santa (Argentina) (DVD title) (Mexico) (Peru) [es]
Frère Noël (Belgium: French title) (France) [fr]
Die Gebrüder Weihnachtsmann (Germany) [de]
Fred Claus - Jõuluvana vend (Estonia) [et]
Fred Claus - Un fratello sotto l'albero (Italy) [it]
Fred Claus, el hermano gamberro de Santa Claus (Spain) [es]
Fred Mraz (Croatia) [hr]
Le frère Noël (Canada: French title) [fr]
O adelfos tou Ai Vasili (Greece) (DVD title) [el]

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild language and some rude humor.

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Taiwan:PG-12 | Canada:G (British Columbia/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Singapore:PG | Ireland:PG | Netherlands:6 | USA:PG (certificate #43797) | UK:PG | Philippines:G (MTRCB) | France:U | Germany:o.Al. | Finland:K-7 | Argentina:Atp | South Korea:All | Australia:PG | Denmark:A | South Africa:PG

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The wardrobe department consulted Levi's and had special 501's created to accommodate Vince Vaughn's sizes exactly.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Fred is in the workshop watching them make the bicycle the little girl wanted (orange with banana handlebars), the bicycle they make for her and put in the box is indeed orange, but has short white handlebars, not banana color or shaped ones as she asked.

Quotes:

Fred Claus: Santa's having some trouble getting the sled off the ground?
[his mother plugs her ears]
Mother Claus: [singing] Jingle bells, jingle bells...

Movie Connections:

Featured in "HBO First Look: Fred Claus (#14.28)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town

Paul fire your agent, hire a chimpanzee

Did anyone read the script. This has to be some of the worst writing and directing of the entire year. Three great actors, Paul Giamatti, Rachel Weisz and Miranda Richardson couldn't pull this one out. About two-thirds it looked like Giamatti eyes were saying, I can't believe I signed the contract. It's not the worst movie I ever saw, but it's on the really really bad Christmas movie list. Not enough lines, but what else can be said? Okay, the movie just doesn't move with Vaughn's con-man dialogue, his character is just a creepy guy that you just can't get past. It was just a lackluster walk through, that no one seemed to be able to get into.