National
Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is the perhaps best of
the Vacation sequels, and, somehow, the one that feels the most
different from the others, probably because it doesn’t actually involve the
Griswold family actually traveling anywhere. You definitely don't need
to see the prior two films in the Vacation series to understand this entry.
It’s become kind of a lowbrow
Christmas standard for folks who aren’t into watching the old black-and-white classics,plus those who want something easy for even the littlest ones to
understand, and I guess it delivers enough laughs and Christmas cheer for most
viewers. I honestly am a little perplexed by the appeal of it to some people,
but I suppose it is light, silly and has some fun moments, so I’ll give the
fans of it the benefit of the doubt. I kinda like it…in a way. A really
small way.
There isn’t really much of a plot, as scripted by 80s film maestro John Hughes
(adapting his own short story as published in National Lampoon magazine in
1980), as the film coasts with general setups to
pratfalls and various calamities to befall Clark, usually of his own making. The Griswolds invite their relatives over
for Christmas, most of whom are annoying or overbearing, while the climax of
the film hinges on whether Clsrk will receive the Christmas bonus necessary
for him to make sure he can provide a quality Christmas for everyone expecting
proper presents and food on the table. Clark (Chevy Chase,
Funny Farm) spends
much of his time doing dumb things, like purchasing a gargantuan Christmas tree, putting
a myriad of lights on his house, sledding down a mountain at hyper speed, torching a
cat, chasing a squirrel, etc.
The character of Clark Griswold has changed
from the prior outings from being a daft stooge to a complete klutz, so your
mileage will vary as to how much that transition results in amusement for you.
We once laughed with Clark and company for experiences that seemed to
mirror some of our own, and now we just laugh at them for all of the
idiotic messes into which they get themselves.
Directed by newcomer Jeremiah S. Chechik, who took over for the original
director, Christopher Columbus, who walked during production due to
differences with Chevy Chase (then worked with Hughes on his next project,
Home Alone),
Christmas Vacation is amusing in a modest way, occasionally delivering
a solid laugh, although it’s more of a movie that produces smiles than
guffaws. It’s one of the better Chevy Chase comedic performances (not saying much
here), and the supporting characters are well-cast with nice, amusing
character actors (one should note that the Griswold kids, Rusty and
Audrey, are once again replaced by new actors, here future star Juliette
Lewis and "Big Bang Theory"'s Johnny Galecki).
It is a fairly crude comedy, and unfortunately, many Christmas
movies made since have been of this variety, so I guess I do blame the
creators for part of the reason why I usually despise today’s crop of
Christmas movies. At least it came first, although John Hughes’ script has
many shades of A Christmas Story in it, with its clueless father,
eccentric characters, and mean-spirited charm. This one expands the
family to include the stodgy in-laws, and Cousin Eddie and his trashy
redneck family, plus the stuck-up yuppie neighbors who can't stand the
Griswolds and the noise and sight pollution they provide to the
neighborhood.
I did laugh while watching Christmas Vacation -- not a lot, but more than I expected. It’s not
generally funny to
see Chevy fall from a ladder, get hit in the head, or any of the other
calamities that occur during the course of the movie, but a few of the
pratfalls are clever in their limited way, and this does contain some
memorable highlights like the massive Christmas tree, the ultra-slick sled
scene, the seemingly never-ending string of Christmas lights that are a
pain to get working, and the fate of one curious cat. I’m not that into slapstick, but
if you are, you may come away liking this for the simple pleasures, so long as
you aren’t expecting a genuinely affecting holiday classic.
If your
idea of Christmas is more filled with the annoyances of dealing with
overbearing extended family and the nuisances of putting together all of
the trappings of the holidays, this one is probably more up your alley
than those old classics that extol the virtues of human togetherness and
joyful Christmas spirit. Other than that, it's thin
material, but worth a look for
a handful of funny scenes.
