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Tell Others About This Page By Using This Button "CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS" (2004) (Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis) (PG) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate Minor Heavy *Minor Minor Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate Minor None None Minor Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Moderate Minor Mild Moderate Mild QUICK TAKE: Comedy: After their daughter joins the Peace Corps, an empty-nest couple must deal with the incredulous reactions of their neighbors and friends when they announce that they're boycotting all things Christmas related so that they can go on a Caribbean cruise. PLOT: With their daughter, Blair (JULIE GONZALO), headed off to Peru with the Peace Corps, Chicago suburbanites Luther (TIM ALLEN) and Nora Krank (JAMIE LEE CURTIS) now find themselves empty-nesters for the first time since she was born. Ever the pragmatist, Luther thinks that he and Nora could enjoy their newfound freedom and save money over their normal holiday expenditures by forgoing Christmas and taking a Caribbean cruise instead. Since Luther insists that include a boycott of all things Christmas related -- such as decorating their home -- their festive neighbors don't understand and thus go on the offensive. While Walt Scheel (M. EMMETT WALSH) -- whose wife, Bev (ELIZABETH FRANZ) -- has had her cancer return -- steps up his normal antagonism toward Luther, unofficial street leader Vic Frohmeyer (DAN AYKROYD) and his young son, Spike (ERIK PER SULLIVAN), put the pressure on him to at least put out their huge, plastic snowman like everyone else. Luther is adamant in his refusal to follow tradition, much to the dismay of Nora as well as local cops Salino (CHEECH MARIN) and Treen (JAKE BUSEY) who were hoping for some holiday charitable contributions from him. When Blair calls about her unexpected return home with Peruvian boyfriend Enrique DeCardenal (REN LAVAN), however, the Kranks go into frantic, high-speed mode to get their house in proper holiday condition for them. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Given the Christmas theme and goofy looking shenanigans in the previews, it's a good bet many kids won't mind seeing this film. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG For brief language and suggestive content. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: TIM ALLEN plays an accountant who's decided to forgo Christmas and everything associated with it in favor of going on a Caribbean cruise with Nora. As others adversely react to his holiday boycott, he becomes more stubborn and only has himself and his happiness in mind (although he eventually has a change of heart). JAMIE LEE CURTIS plays his skittish wife who reluctantly goes along with the plan but is scared of the neighbors and their persistent behavior. She drinks some (guzzling it down several times). JULIE GONZALO plays their 23-year-old daughter who's just left to join the Peace Corps and unexpectedly returns home with a new fiancé. DAN AYKROYD plays the unofficial neighborhood leader who rallies the troops to try to persuade Luther to give up his Christmas boycott. ERIK PER SULLIVAN plays his son who's one of the kids who repeatedly badgers Luther about the boycott, but eventually agrees to help him when Luther needs his assistance. CHEECH MARIN and JAKE BUSEY play the local cops who initially don't like Luther's reluctance to contribute to their charity, but eventually help out him and Nora. ELIZABETH FRANZ plays the Krank's neighbor whose cancer has returned for a third time. M. EMMETT WALSH plays her husband, an ornery type who's constantly on Luther's case. REN LAVAN plays Blair's new boyfriend who she brings home from Peru. AUSTIN PENDLETON plays the friendly neighborhood man who's anonymous to everyone since he's usually dressed up as Santa, but who knows everybody. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this comedy that's been rated PG. Profanity consists of just a few minor expletives, while some colorful phrases are also uttered. Some sexually related material is present regarding a husband and wife (including the wife getting excited thinking they're going to fool around on the dining room table, but the husband has something else in mind), other brief and non-explicit sexually related dialogue occurs and the sight of that middle-aged married couple in very small bathing suits is played as a visual gag rather than as anything erotic (although a lot of cleavage and a male bulge are visible). Various moments of slapstick style material are present (where characters get shocked, fall on an icy sidewalk, etc.) while a person knocks out a fleeing house burglar with an umbrella. That character and others have varying degrees of bad attitudes, a few scenes might be unsettling or scary to very young viewers (a near fall off a roof, a large plastic snowman that seems to be alive in the basement, etc.), and some imitative behavior (including icing down a sidewalk to make people slip) is present. Very brief crude humor occurs, some characters drink (one guzzles hers several times) and a non-illegal drug joke/reference is made. The husband and wife bicker a few times, while thematic material involves an elderly neighbor whose non-specific cancer has returned. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Luther and Nora have wine with dinner. After she thinks that Luther is being amorous, she guzzles her wine and drinks some of his. Miscellaneous people have wine. A miscellaneous person holds a bottle of beer. Nora guzzles her beer (after a frightening situation, but only for her) in a restaurant where others drink. Luther and Nora have wine with dinner. Nora states that they'll have cheese, wine and ham at their party and we later see her shopping for wine and liquor at the store (with a cart full of both). A miscellaneous person has a beer. Luther holds some bundled cinnamon sticks (or something holiday related that looks like that) and wonders what they are. He then jokingly asks if they're legal and then tries to light them, but nothing else happens with them. Luther, Nora, Enrique, Vic and others raise a toast, with them and others holding wine or other drinks during the party. We also see Luther pouring more wine for himself. BLOOD/GORE Nora suddenly sits up and bangs her head on a tanning bed lid when someone surprises her. We hear that she has a small cut and then see a tiny bit of blood on her head. We see a man (who's been stuck up on the roof in the cold snow) with an icicle hanging from his nose (crude humor). DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE A few scenes have Luther stepping near or on Walt's cat (played for comedy with the cat yowling as it runs off). Walt tells a bunch of Christmas carolers to go to Luther's house to carol there. They and a bunch of neighbors then gather there and do so (to put pressure on Luther and Nora to get into the Christmas spirit). To keep people away from his house, Luther sprays garden hose water onto his sidewalk (and fires a blast at Walt's cat). We then see the mail carrier, a bunchy of Christmas carolers and Nora slip and fall onto the ice (all played for slapstick). We also see Walt's cat standing completely encased in ice (but it's later seen okay). The local kids keeping calling and harassing Luther, trying to persuade him to put out his large, plastic Santa. When Luther hears that Blair's boyfriend is Peruvian, Luther half-sarcastically states that the guy is a communist. A Christmas tree retailer charges Luther full price for an already discounted tree, citing supply and demand. Nora tells white lies to Blair on the phone about the party and what they'll have at it. Apparently not knowing any better, Officer Treen has spelled Enrique's name "N. Reeky" on an airport sign (to get his and Blair's attention to give them a ride home -- but some viewers may take offense at that, although Treen is the real butt of the joke). We see a thief who throws a piece of electronic equipment down to the street off a fire escape and then tries to elude the police. That robber later lies to Spike about robbing to help his kids (when he doesn't have any and simply wants Spike to let him loose, which the boy does). Luther is self-centered and doesn't thank Vic and the neighbors for racing to get his house ready for Blair's sudden and unexpected arrival. In the end, however, he finally changes his ways. The above robber tries to rob Luther's home during their Christmas Eve party, but a guy dressed as Santa hits and knocks him out with an umbrella after he falls from the roof to the snowy ground. FRIGHTENING SCENES We hear that a neighbor, Bev, has cancer that's returned, and she comments that she has both good and bad days due to that. A person also states that it could be her last Christmas. A large plastic snowman is purposefully shot in such a fashion (in some shadows in the basement, but as comedy for those old enough to get the joke) that it could be a little unsettling or scary for very young kids. Nora's canned ham rolls away from her through a parking lot and then into the path of a quickly approaching tractor trailer. She tries to get to it, but is too late as the truck runs over it (played for comedic suspense). The above plastic snowman's eyes suddenly glow (as if it's sentient and purposefully wanting Luther to fall off the roof where he's trying to mount the snowman). While trying to mount that large plastic snowman to his roof, Luther starts to lose his balance. The snowman then slides off and crashes to the ground, followed by Luther who slides down and off the roof, only to jerk to a stop a few feet off the ground thanks to the rope around his leg. He then falls the rest of the way after a fireman cuts the rope (played for comedic suspense). GUNS/WEAPONS We see the standard issue shotgun mounted in the cops' patrol car. The cops wear handguns and Officer Treen says he'll put his hand on his to make it look more official (when responding to a fake call designed to kill time before taking Blair and Enrique back to her house). IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "If we damn well choose," "Old man" (how an older neighbor refers to Luther), "What a bunch of losers," "(What a/He's a) Jerk," "Now you're an idiot," "Shut up," "What the hell is going on here?" "Eat this" and "What in God's name are you doing up there?" To keep people away from his house, Luther sprays garden hose water onto his sidewalk (and fires a blast at Walt's cat). We then see the mail carrier, a bunchy of Christmas carolers and Nora slip and fall onto the ice (all played for slapstick). We also see Walt's cat standing completely encased in ice (but it's later seen okay). Some kids may want to imitate Luther after he's had a Botox treatment that's left his face stretched tight and somewhat paralyzed (so that he can't keep fruit or a liquid in his mouth - all played for laughs). Luther holds some bundled cinnamon sticks (or something holiday related that looks like that) and wonders what they are. He then jokingly asks if they're legal and then tries to light them, but nothing else happens with them. When a utility worker can't get the power to come back on in the neighborhood, he bangs the transformer (up on a utility pole) with a tool (and it works). JUMP SCENES Vic suddenly shows up at Nora's car window (played for laughs). Some carolers suddenly pop up at a window near Nora (a comical jump scene). MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY 1 damn, 1 hell and 1 use of "Oh dear God." SEX/NUDITY A poster shows a young couple dressed in swimwear (the woman in a bikini) in an ad for a cruise. Luther tells Nora, "It's you I'm not finished with," prompting her to open part of her vest (she has a shirt on beneath that) and guzzle her glass of wine and drink some of his while stating that it's not even Saturday night. She gets more excited when he returns and sweeps some stuff away from the top of the table (and she opens her vest all of the way and tells him to close the curtains), but he's doing so just to spread out his Caribbean cruise paraphernalia for her to see. After Luther agrees to make their standard Christmas donation, Nora climbs on top of him on the bed (both are clothed) and we hear him say that it isn't even Saturday night (the joke being that she said the same earlier in the night). We see Nora in a very small bikini that shows her ample cleavage as she prepares to get a tan at a tanning salon (we see several views of her and her cleavage). When she comes out into the reception area (in a shopping mall), her priest spots her and stares at her cleavage (the camera shows his P.O.V. of it). We then see Luther walk out in a small bathing suit that shows a bulge in the front (the sight of both of them is for laughs rather than eroticism). Nora and Luther do some brief kisses that then turn a bit more passionate and she starts to unbutton his shirt, but phone calls interrupt them. Luther makes a reference that Enrique is the guy that Blair has "shacked up with" (meaning living together and/or having sex with). SMOKING Luther holds some bundled cinnamon sticks (or something holiday related that looks like that) and wonders what they are. He then jokingly asks if they're legal and then tries to light them, but nothing else happens with them. Vic has a pipe in his mouth at a Christmas Eve party. TENSE FAMILY SCENES There's some occasional comic bickering between Luther and Nora. Nora gets mad at Luther for being self-centered. We hear that a neighbor, Bev, has cancer that's returned, and she comments that she has both good and bad days due to that. A person also states that it could be her last Christmas and Walt appears worried about her. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT We hear that a neighbor, Bev, has cancer that's returned, and she comments that she has both good and bad days due to that. A person also states that it could be her last Christmas. Empty-nest parents. People who take Christmas decorations and activities to the extreme as well as their attitude toward those who don't behave the same way. Product placement in movies. VIOLENCE We see a neighbor get shocked when putting up outside lights and then fall from the ladder to the ground (played for laughs). Nora tries to drive off as Vic holds onto her open car window and jogs alongside her. She then rolls up the window, pinching his fingers in the glass until he yanks his hands from his gloves and falls to the street (he's okay and all played for laughs). Nora suddenly sits up and bangs her head on a tanning bed lid when someone surprises her. We hear that she has a small cut and then see a tiny bit of blood on her head. A few scenes have Luther stepping near or on Walt's cat (played for comedy with the cat yowling as it runs off). To keep people away from his house, Luther sprays garden hose water onto his sidewalk (and fires a blast at Walt's cat). We then see the mail carrier, a bunchy of Christmas carolers and Nora slip and fall onto the ice (all played for slapstick). We also see Walt's cat standing completely encased in ice (but it's later seen okay). In a rush to find a Christmas tree, Luther blasts into a parking lot and runs down a scrawny one (played for laughs). Wanting to enlist Spike's help, Luther chases the boy (who's initially unaware of the friendly gesture) across a lawn and then knocks him into a decorative deer and then jumps on him (played for laughs). Nora ends up falling onto the top of a shopping cart and then slams into a grocery store display while racing for the last ham in the store. While trying to mount a large plastic snowman to his roof, Luther starts to lose his balance. The snowman then slides off and crashes to the ground, followed by Luther who slides down and off the roof, only to jerk to a stop a few feet off the ground thanks to the rope around his leg. He then falls the rest of the way after a fireman cuts the rope (played for comedic suspense). When a guy plugs in another cord into an overloaded outlet, he receives a shock that blows him backwards across the lawn (played for laughs). We see a thief who throws a piece of electronic equipment down to the street off a fire escape. Office Treen tries to go after him, but slips and bangs his head on the fire escape, while the robber falls and lands hard. Officer Salino then chases and tackles the robber, smashing his face up against the squad car window while arresting him. The above robber tries to rob Luther's home during their Christmas Eve party, but a guy dressed as Santa hits and knocks him out with an umbrella after he falls from the roof to the snowy ground. Reviewed November 18, 2004 / Posted November 24, 2004

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