National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (PG-13, 1989)

common sense media says

Silly humor for the holidays; some iffy.


parents & educators say
  • 42% say language is an issue

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that much of the slapstick humor is obviously directed at preteens, from the cartoon opening to an impossibly high-speed sled ride, but some profanity and mild sexual references make this a questionable choice for the under-13 set. Many laughs depend on mishaps like falling from ladders or traveling in a car stuck underneath a big rig, but nobody gets hurt. A pet cat, however, gets electrocuted. The foul language is toned down a bit from the previous Vacation movies, but moderate to extreme profanities are sprinkled liberally throughout the show. This movie makes all of its characters look ridiculous, but the only negative stereotype is of a busty woman who sells lingerie in the local mall.

Positive messages: It is a National Lampoon film, so any specific message is secondary to crude humor and slapstick comedy. Still, it could be so much worse.
Positive role models: This movie makes all of its characters look ridiculous, but the only
negative stereotype is of a busty woman who sells lingerie in the local
mall.
Violence: Many laughs depend on mishaps like falling from ladders or traveling in a car stuck underneath a big rig, but nobody gets hurt. A pet cat, however, gets electrocuted.
Sex: Some flirting with a lingerie sales lady leads to some provocative dialogue and camera angles. Later on, she appears in a daydream stripping out of her bathing suit. The camera cuts away before she finishes.
Language: Some profanity.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Adults drink too much.

More on National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about sequels. Why is a sequel rarely as good as the original? 
  • Is there a temptation on the part of movie-makers to essentially repeat a winning formula? 
  • If you've seen the other Chevy Chase Vacation movies, did you find anything in this movie surprising?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Clark Griswald (Chevy Chase), a hard-working father of two teens, is determined to show his family a fun-filled, old-fashioned Christmas in NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION. By the time all of the in-laws and a crude second cousin show up, Clark has 25,000 lights stapled to the house and this predictable comedy is in full swing. Lowbrow, potentially offensive humor makes this best for older viewers. For a moment during the opening scene, it looks like we're going on the road again with the Griswald's. Actually, the family is just going to the country to chop down a 40-foot tree for an old fashioned Christmas at home, the first in a string of overblown escapades in Clark Griswald's quest for the perfect holiday. "I just know how you build up things in your mind," warns his loving but slightly confused wife, Ellen. But this fanatical family man won't be deterred until his miserly boss has been kidnapped and a SWAT team descends on his house to the tune of "Here Comes Santa Claus."

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
For those who enjoyed the original Vacation, this holiday edition offers virtually the same story and characters with more predictability and less help from the supporting cast. Those who found Vacation utterly tasteless will find this to be slightly (but not much) cleaner. Chevy Chase has some good moments, and those who enjoy his double-talk and pratfalls will find some redeeming value in this lukewarm movie. His frustration at 250 strings of Christmas lights and his overtures to a busty sales lady are among the movie's best moments.

The producers attracted some decent talent to act as Clark's foils, but neither the stuck-up neighbor (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), nor the disgusting second cousin (Randy Quaid), nor the boss who stiffs Clark on his Christmas bonus (Brian Doyle-Murray) generate any laughs to speak of. The Griswald kids might as well be cardboard cutouts with their eyes permanently rolled. One inherent problem parents will have with this movie is how it juxtaposes juvenile humor with sexually suggestive scenes and strings of profanity.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Warner Home Video
Director: Jeremiah S. Chechik
Cast: Beverly D'Angelo, Chevy Chase, Randy Quaid
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 97 minutes
Theatrical release: December 1, 1989
DVD release: November 18, 1997
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: profanity and sexual situations

This review was written by Andy Davis
 
 

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What parents & educators say

12
Based on 12 parent & educator reviews:
  • 42% say language is an issue

Most useful reviews by all members

mannymateo10isback
teen, 14 years old
 
pretty okay, but not that good, its funny though!!
well it was pretty okay, but in one scene it shows a lady appears in a daydream stripping out of her bathing suit, and a camera cuts away, but the breasts almost appeared, and theres alot of profanity in here also

angelostar
kid, 12 years old
 
hilareous family comedy

aidanqm1996
teen, 15 years old
 
OH MY GOSH!!!!! TOO MUCH LANGUAGE!!!!!!
Language, language, and more language. You can barely go a scene in this movie without at least 1 profanity.

xBVBxARMYx
kid, 13 years old
 
HILARIOUS HOLIDAY COMEDY, IF YOUR MATURE ENOUGH
This is the funniest thing ever! I watch it every Christmas and every year I end up crying it is so funny. THE LANGUAGE IS THE WORST THING ON THIS MOVIE! The f word is said once. i can't remember whether the s word was said or not. It is a funny movie that kids can most likely watch. But I would not recomend it to anone under 10. Unless they are very mature.

Lindsayphoto
teen, 18 years old
 
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Evey year at Christmas time, our whole family watch alot of christmas movies and this is one of them. Sex: There are two iffy parts but you can skip it and it just whean over my sisters and brothers head, and the there are some language but you don't really hear it that much. It's a really funny movie.

mardoggie2013
teen, 17 years old
 
Christmas Vacation is hilarious!
Wonderful, hilarious Christmas movie! Just not for the younger ones.

 
stupid
The movie has no point at all. It's not worth watching it's stupid and not appropriate for children under 12. If your children are begging you to see it tell them the truth: you don't want to see it. It's just not worth it.

CSM Screen ...
teen, 17 years old
 
Funniest Christmas Movie Ever!

gitters
adult
 
holiday classic
overall okay for family viewing, there are couple of scences, that are not for children.

super dude
teen, 13 years old
 
Dont watch this movie with your kids, It's reealy bad!!!

littch
parent of and 6 , 6 , 12 , 14 year old
 
A Tradition
We watch it every year at Christmas. It's a tradition. There is some language.

a10d38
teen, 14 years old
 
I think this is the better one of the three movies like concerned wise so i think kids that know right from wrong and no not to say bad words or anything could handle this

 
great for middle schoolers and up
this is a great christmas movie for the whole family. some kids wont get all the jokes, and there is nothing bad in it. the slapstick humor is funny. this is for middle schoolers and up. mabey a fifth grader if he acts mature. overall i give this movie for a great christmas movie a 10/10

Jake2
teen, 14 years old
 
Great Christmas movie! There are only two iffy parts. The first one is when Clark is looking at what he imagines what his pool would look and there was a female stripper that was stripping but, the camera turns away before anything is seen. The second is when Clark gets his Christmas bonus, it turns out to be some jelly club thing and he says lots of four letter words.

skamandpip
parent of 4 and 6 year old
 
My favorite movie
My favorite Christmas movie. I wish that I could watch while they are awake, but I might just skip through the scenes that aren't appropriate.

KidWhoReviewsStuff
kid, 13 years old
 
You don't know what disfunctional means until you've seen this holiday movie
An average family comedy for the holidays that features probably the worst family ever. The put their waste in the gutter, the wrap a cat in a box and then accidentally electricute it, set fire to a tree, kidnap a man, crash a car, destroy a turkey and do just about every other crazy thing you could imagine.

fiver125
teen, 16 years old
 
I loved this movie
This movie was another sequel to how Clark Griswald screwed up his family's holiday. I loed it I laughed through the whole thing. I like Eddie, and the squirrel.

clairebear142
kid, 11 years old
 
i laughed
not good for kids it does have bad language

That Reviewing Kid
kid, 11 years old
 
Slapstick and more slapstick
You'll laugh but not a lot. Some swearing and Clark accidentally finding himself saying all the wrong things to a sales lady who he finds attractive.

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