What Do The Critics Say?

"Fred Claus is a tacky would-be comedy about family dysfunction that fronts some Scrooge attitude only to dissolve into slobbering sentimentality and canned uplift." Manohla Dargis NEW YORK TIMES "So calculated in its sentimentality that it almost feels cynical." Katey Rich CINEMABLEND "Fred Claus is the perfect example of how a great idea can be ruined by the most competent filmmakers." Cole Haddon ORLANDO WEEKLY "Here's the newest entry in that curdled genre, the I-Hate-Christmas movie." Jim Lane SACRAMENTO NEWS & REVIEW "A complete bust, derivative and uninspired, boring and dull, not funny, not moving and about a half hour too long." Mick LaSalle SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

"As derivative and predictable as any of the holiday comedies of the past few years, providing audiences with at best a handful of laughs. Most of it is uninspired." Claudia Puig USA TODAY "While the movie is often undeniably amusing, it's rarely funny." Mike McGranaghan AISLE SEAT "About as funny as a sack of coal." Jack Mathews NEW YORK DAILY NEWS "Sure, it's sappy and sentimental, but so is Christmas. I only wish it were funnier." Jeff Otto CINEMAOBSESSION "There is absolutely no way writers were involved in the process that pooped out this holiday turkey." Jon Popick PLANET SICK-BOY "The perfect post-millennial holiday film. It's funny, smart, wicked, warm, and above all, completely clued-in to our growing crass commercialization of Christmas." Bill Gibron POPMATTERS

The Inside Story The inspiration for the story of "Fred Claus" came from a simple question asked by the then eight-year-old daughter of writer-producer Jessie Nelson, Molly. "Does Santa Claus have a family?" The question sparked the filmmaker’s imagination and ignited a story idea that became "Fred Claus". Exploring what it would be like to grow up with, or rather in, the shadow of jolly old Saint Nicholas, Nelson says, "Santa must have been this perfect kid who was always generous and cherubic. But I was interested in telling a story about Santa’s brother, Fred, a great kid who was misunderstood and ended up becoming the black sheep of the family." "Jessie’s idea grabbed me immediately," recalls Dobkin. "The dynamic between Fred and Santa is unique and universal at the same time. As a first child, you are the whole world to your parents, but when the second kid comes along, your attention gets cut by fifty percent. Even if your parents spread the attention around evenly, you’re still giving up half of their unconditional love to your younger sibling. Combine that with being Santa Claus’s underachieving brother; it’s a situation that’s ripe for comedy." "I think that the premise of "Fred Claus" is very funny and truly original," remarks producer Joel Silver ("Swordfish & "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang"). "While it’s very common for two brothers to not get along, who would’ve thought that someone like Santa Claus would have to deal with sibling rivalry? I’ve always wanted to do a big family movie, and what a perfect opportunity this is to do a fresh take on a holiday comedy." So how come Santa's brothers name is Fred? That came about when Nelson was watching "The Godfather" on TV. "That’s when I decided to name the character Fred Claus; it’s an homage to Fredo Corleone." Although Fred has issues, Nelson wanted to show that Santa doesn’t have it easy either. "Being Santa must be equally hard," offers Nelson. "Imagine the stress of having to deliver Christmas presents to every kid in the world in one night and having to be jolly about it the whole time. That’s a lot of pressure on one person, even if he is a saint! Also, I thought it would fun to play with the idea that Santa is chubby because he eats his stress away." "I love the fact that the story portrays Santa Claus as a regular guy with everyday problems, worries and stresses," adds Dobkin. To pen the screenplay for "Fred Claus", the filmmakers tapped the creativity of Dan Fogelman, who had previously written the animated comedy hit "Cars". Fogelman remarks that he was immediately attracted to the idea. "I think anyone who has a brother or sister can relate to a sibling rivalry story. There’s something interesting about the black sheep, but I also was interested in the notion of the sibling who does the overshadowing." "Dan was the only writer I met who I felt understood Santa as much as he understood Fred," says the 2002 Stanley Kramer Award winner Nelson ("I Am Sam"). "Most of the writers just focused on Fred as the naughty, rebellious one. But Dan understood how hard it was for Santa to be Santa, and how Santa might long to reconnect with Fred." The next stage was to find the right actors to play the two brothers. "Fred Claus" marks the third collaboration for Dobkin and Vaughn. The two previously worked together on the 1998 dark comedy "Clay Pigeons" and the hit 2005 comedy "Wedding Crashers". "The first thing that attracted me to this project was the chance to work with David again," says Vaughn. "We’ve already done two films together, and I really like his sensibilities. David’s got the whole package. He’s great with the camera; he’s great with the actors; he’s got a great sense of story; and he’s got a tireless work ethic. He’s also very in touch with a childlike imagination that drives his creativity." "I needed somebody who could provide an emotional performance and, at the same time, keep the comedy flowing. Vince is both a great actor and a great comedian; I knew he could do both," asserts Dobkin. "When we were developing the script, we always had Vince’s voice in mind," Nelson says. "We knew that Vince could be a guy who could be naughty and say irreverent things and shake things up. But, he also needed to be someone you could still love." Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti ("Donnie Brasco" & "Saving Private Ryan") was Dobkin’s original vision for the role of Nick 'Santa' Claus. The director notes, "I wanted our Santa Claus to be very real; he is everyman with real pain and real troubles." Acknowledging that Giamatti is perhaps better known for his dramatic roles, Dobkin says, "Paul is not someone you would immediately imagine as the big and jolly character that is Santa Claus. But Paul brought his wit, intelligence and warmth to the character, as well as an incredible sense of vulnerability that I really wanted Santa to have." "Casting Paul as Santa was one of David’s strokes of brilliance,” offers Nelson. “Paul completely humanized Santa; he brought such a sense of soulfulness and world-weariness to the character, which made the character so much more real and complex." Giamatti recalls, "When I read the script I thought it was very original, very funny and completely relatable. Santa Claus’s family is a regular family who just happens to live in the North Pole among hundreds of elves. Besides that, and having a really stressful job, Santa is pretty much a regular guy." "Vince and Paul have incredible chemistry," says Dobkin. "I’ve always been a fan of Paul’s work, so it was a real treat to work with him," says Vaughn. "He’s a great dramatic actor, but he’s also very funny in a dry, deadpan kind of way." Oscar-winning actress Kathy Bates plays the boys mother, Mrs Claus who unintentionally sets Fred and Santa against each other. "She can’t help but favor Santa, which adds to the rivalry. It wasn’t that she was ever mean to Fred," Giamatti notes. Santa’s loving but concerned wife, Annette Claus, is played by 1993 & 1995 Golden Globe Award winner, Miranda Richardson. "She wants to accept Fred because she loves Nick, but she knows that things always go wrong when Fred’s around. It’s natural for her to be very protective of Santa, whom she sees as a big softy," Richardson said. "Paul and Miranda immediately clicked," says Dobkin. "When they first met, they were joking with each other right away, calling each other pet names and what not. Watching them, you feel as if they’d been married for twenty years." Fred’s soon-to-be ex-girlfriend Wanda, is played by 2006 Golden Globe Award winning actress, Rachel Weisz ("The Constant Gardener"). "He’s a lot of fun to be with but also infuriating because he forgets birthdays and anniversaries. He’s the ultimate in unreliable boyfriends," says Weisz. "Fred likes Wanda, but I don’t think he feels secure enough with himself to fully commit to her," adds Vaughn. "Rachel’s a definite 'sharpshooter'. She nailed scenes so quickly and had fantastic chemistry with Vince. It was a real pleasure to watch them develop the relationship and bring that connection to the screen," says Dobkin. Fred's young neighbor Slam, is played by eleven yearold Bobb’e J Thompson. "He is pretty much a street kid who has all this free time to hang with Fred. He’s always pestering Fred and meddling in his stuff. He’s like an urban Dennis the Menace," Thompson joked. Dobkin notes, "Bobb’e just threw stuff out there. He knew his lines, he understood his character’s intentions and he made his character real. And he was always game when Vince threw in new lines." Efficiency expert Clyde Northcutt is played by 1996, 1998 & 2000 Chlotrudis Award winner Kevin Spacey. Northcutt has been sent to the North Pole this season to scrutinize Santa’s toy-making operation and to determine if the shop can keep up with the rapidly growing demand for toys around the world. "Clyde Northcutt has a whole lot of baggage behind his desire to take Santa down," says Giamatti. "I wanted someone who exudes intelligence and had the comedic wit to compete with Vince, someone who could get the best of Fred and get inside his head," Dobkin said. "Kevin was so focused and so accommodating. He really delivered." Spacey notes, "David is a delightful director to work with, and created a wonderful and fun atmosphere on set. I also had a great experience with Vince and Paul." 2003 Young Hollywood Award winner Elizabeth Banks plays Santa’s assistant, Charlene who "is the chief of operations and Santa’s right hand. She keeps track of everything," says Banks. John Michael Higgins stars as Santa’s Head Elf, Willie, one of Santa’s most trusted aids. He also has a big crush on Charlene. "Films about Christmas serve as a portal for all sorts of joy and reflection," Higgins says. "It’s the end of the year; it’s your last shot to set things right for the year. While Fred and Santa are struggling to find a way to tune into each other for the first time, Willie is struggling to find his confidence." And what about Santa's little helpers. "It was important to me that the elves be played by real people. It is a movie about the human spirit, so I didn’t want to diminish that theme. I wanted each elf to be unique, but grounded in reality," Dobkins recalled. A turning point in the search happened when the filmmakers found a Russian circus troupe consisting of thirty two little people who perfectly fitted the bill. The director notes, "The Russians we found to play the elves are the most wonderful, happy, enthusiastic and talented group of people I’ve ever seen." Synopsis

Fred Claus has lived his entire life in his brother’s very large shadow. Fred tried, but could hardly live up to the example set by the younger Nicholas, who was just a perfect, well, a saint. Even though Fred promised to be the best big brother ever, constant referals to his brothers good qualities have eroded the bond between them. True to form, Nicholas grew up to be the model of giving, while Fred became the polar opposite: a fast-talking repo man who’s run out of luck and money. But when Fred finds himself arrested and unable to make bail, he has only one option. Ring Nick. Over Mrs. Claus’ objections, Nicholas agrees to help his brother on one condition: that he come to the North Pole and earn the money he needs by working in Santa’s workshop. The trouble is that Fred isn’t exactly elf material and, with Christmas fast approaching, Fred could jeopardize the jolliest holiday of the year. Added to Nick's woes is efficiency expert Clyde, sent by head-office to assess whether Nick should remain in business.

The Verdict "If you thought Christmas has been going down the gurgler, you're right on the mark. "Fred Claus" will only hasten the death of what is the most commercially crass holiday celebrated right around the world. It begs the question, with so much talent crammed into "Fred Claus" how could they get it wrong? Well it wasn't for a lack of trying. The blame lies squarely on the shoulders of the dodowho thought Vince Vaughn was the ideal choice for the role of Santa's older brother Fred Claus. The irritating, motormouthed Vaughn is a drag. His performance is abysmal. And he isn't on his own. Add to that the awful accent bombarding ones eardrums every time Weisz's character Wanda opens her mouth; a totally 'wooden' performance from Spacey and a distinct lack of christmas cheer and it doesn't take too many brains to work out that this movie is destined for the 'crapper'. Honestly, how anyone could have a good word to say about "Fred Claus" is beyond me. Still if you have nothing better to do, by all means feel free to risk depression. But do yourself a favour and see it on 'Cheap Tuesday'. A load of humbug. 2 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "FRED CLAUS" stars .......
People's Choice Favorite Leading Man Award winner Vince Vaughn ["Old School", "Be Cool", "Wedding Crashers" and "The Break-Up"]; Screen Actors Guild Award winner Paul Giamatti ["Sideways", "Cinderella Man", "The Illusionist" and "The Nanny Diaries"]; Seattle Film Critics Award winner John Michael Higgins ["A Mighty Wind", "Fun with Dick and Jane" and "Evan Almighty"]; BAFTA Film Award winner Miranda Richardson ["Damage", "The Rage In Placid Lake" and "The Phantom of the Opera"]; 2006 Oscar ® winner Rachel Weisz ["About A Boy", "Runaway Jury" and "The Constant Gardener"]; Oscar ® winner Kathy Bates ["Misery", "Titanic", "About Schmidt" and "Little Black Book"]; Trevor Peacock ["Lady Caroline Lamb", "The Trial", "Sunshine" and "Dog Eat Dog"] and two time Oscar ® winner Kevin Spacey ["The Usual Suspects", "American Beauty", "The Shipping News", "The Life Of David Gale" and "Superman Returns"] as Clyde.
"FRED CLAUS" was .......
directed by David Dobkin ["Clay Pigeons", "Shanghai Knights" and "Wedding Crashers"]; screenplay by Dan Fogelman ["Cars "]; costume design by Polish Film Eagle Award winner Anna Shephard ["The Insider", "The Pianist" and "Sahara"]; production design by BAFTA TV Best Design Award winner Allan Cameron ["The Mummy", "The Mummy Returns", "Shanghai Knights", "Sahara" and "The Da Vinci Code"]; edited by Mark Livols ["Vanilla Sky", "Pieces of April", "Wedding Crashers" and "The Devil Wears Prada"]; director of photography BAFTA Film Award winner Remi Adefarasin B.S.C. ["The House of Mirth", "About a Boy", "Amazing Grace" and "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"]; original music by Christophe Beck ["Under the Tuscan Sun", "Garfield", "Little Black Book" and "We Are Marshall"]. Who's Who?

Vince Vaughn Paul Giamatti John Michael Higgins Miranda Richardson Rachel Weisz Kathy Bates Trevor Peacock Chris Bridges Elizabeth Banks Christian Hansen Kevin Spacey Bobb'e J Thompson Allan Corduner Jordon Hull Liam James Theo Stevenson

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Fred Claus Nick 'Santa' Claus Willie Annette Claus Wanda Mother Claus Papa Claus DJ Donnie Charlene Fireman Clyde Slam Dr Goldfarb Young Fred (6yo) Young Fred (12yo) Young Nick (6yo)

Run Time 115 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2007 - Warner Bros - All Rights Reserved ©2007 All Rights Reserved - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark Laws Apply.