Four Christmases

Movie review by S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media
Four Christmases Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 14+

Holiday romcom is amiable but centers on family dysfunction.

PG-13 2008 89 minutes
Rate movie

Parents say

age 14+

Based on 21 reviews

Kids say

age 13+

Based on 18 reviews

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Rate movie

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this romantic comedy is riddled with gags centering on major family dysfunction. And there's real bite underneath the laughs: The central couple (played by teen favorites Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn) finds out soon enough that they don't really know enough about each other, and their families beat them up -- both physically and emotionally. It's all played for laughs, of course, which takes some of the edge off, but younger kids may still wind up perturbed by the scenes of familial mayhem. There's also some swearing (including "s--t") and social drinking, as well as some innuendo and implied sex.

Community Reviews

cookinggirl15
cookinggirl15 Adult
December 24, 2021
age 13+

Love the movie not for kids.

I personally love the movie, but I would never let my kid watch it. A lot of sex references, a good amount of swearing, but as somebody else mentioned very early on in the movie he tells a kid his parents are Santa Claus.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
1 person found this helpful.
MamaKurtz7683
MamaKurtz7683 Adult
December 2, 2018
age 18+

Heads up - Spills the beans on Santa

This is not a kids movie. Definitely adult based humor and story line. The biggest thing for me as a parent is that this movie tells the truth about Santa.
1 person found this helpful.
See all 21 parent reviews

What's the Story?

After three years together, Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) have the holidays down pat: Every December, they tell their dysfunctional families that they're performing charity work in some far-flung location -- when they're really vacationing at a swanky resort. But this year, heavy fog shuts down the San Francisco airport, and Brad and Kate are forced to spend Christmas Day in the city. After a local TV crew captures their dilemma for everyone -- relatives included -- to see, they're stuck seeing every one of them, from Brad's disgruntled dad (Robert Duvall), wannabe wrestler brothers (Jon Favreau and Tim McGraw), and cougar therapist mother (Sissy Spacek) to Kate's born-again sexpot mom (Mary Steenburgen), passive-aggressive sister (Kristin Chenoweth), and newly enlightened father (Jon Voight). But as they slog through the four separate celebrations, they begin to discover how little they actually know each other -- and that they might want something different from their relationship.

Is It Any Good?

Though FOUR CHRISTMASES is predictable and sort of comes off like a hybrid episode of Family Feud and Girls Gone Wild, it's hard to resist Vaughn and Witherspoon's appeal. They tap into the humor of one outlandish situation after another (perhaps one too many, actually) without losing their zeal or charisma. And the supporting cast reads like the Hollywood Walk of Fame (who knew Spacek was good for laughs?).

But the high-wattage cameos end up feeling a bit overdone, given that some of them -- especially Voight -- aren't given very much to do. Plus, comic timing aside, for a couple supposedly madly in love, Vaughn and Witherspoon don't have a whole lot of chemistry. We don't so much hope that they find their way back to each other because we believe in them, but rather because it's what we expect of romantic comedies. Overall, Four Christmases isn't a particularly memorable holiday gift, but they can't all be. At least it's not a fruitcake.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why so many holiday movies focus on dysfunctional family relationships.

  • Are real families really as out there as the ones in movies like this? Does watching their antics make you feel better (or worse) about your own? Do you think that's the point?

  • In this movie, why do you think Brad and Kate are estranged from their families? Is it justified, or are they being selfish?

  • What are your own family celebrations like? Why are holiday get-togethers often fraught with tension (both in the media and in reality)?

Movie Details

Our Editors Recommend

For kids who love romance and comedy

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate