When I reviewed John Grisham’s novel “Skipping Christmas” last year, I read some critical reviews of the movie “Christmas with the Kranks,” based on Grisham’s book. The critics seemed to think the movie was terrible, but I wanted to give it a shot for myself. You know what – I really liked it.
Tim Allen stars as Luther Krank and Jamie Lee Curtis is Nora, his wife. They have one child, a twenty-three-year-old daughter named Blair (Julie Gonzalo) who has joined the Peace Corps and will be in Peru for a year. Christmas just won’t be the same without her, so Luther has a great idea. Why not skip Christmas this year? It won’t be Christmas without Blair anyway – they should go on a cruise instead. Last year they spent over $6,000 on Christmas, and the cruise is only $3,000. It makes sense fiscally, emotionally – everything.
Luther talks Nora into giving it a try, but the hardest part is explaining it to everyone else. They want to know why they didn’t get a Christmas card, why they didn’t get invited to the party, why there are no decorations on the Krank’s house. Worst of all, every year the street is decorated to the hilt, complete with a Frosty on every roof. The neighbors want to know where the Krank’s Frosty is, and they’re even picketing outside to “Free Frosty.” Through it all, Luther remains firm. There will be no Christmas at the Krank house this year.
But then they get a phone call from Blair. She’s coming home and she’s bringing a new fiancé with her. She’s anxious to celebrate Christmas the way she has her whole life. Luther and Nora have twelve hours to pull it all together. Who should come to their rescue but the neighbors who have been so difficult for the last few weeks.
I really enjoyed this movie – in fact, I liked it better than the book. I don’t know why those critics were having such a hard time with it – maybe they were scared by a Christmas movie as a child. At any rate, I definitely recommend it.
It’s rated PG for some mild language and for a scene with Luther and Nora in their bathing suits, tanning to prepare for the cruise.
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