Steve Finch loves Christmas and tries nothing more to keep his two children happy over the festive period as he never had many good Christmases as a child. Things are about to hit breaking point though when Buddy Hall moves in and wants his Christmas lights to be seen from space.
Yes, that is really the whole plot of this film and it does star Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick. It is actually quite difficult to work out just how and why both of these signed up for this film as it is one of those pretty bad Christmas Comedies. Especially considering you throw in Kristin Chenoweth and Kristin Davis as the wives of the two men you really do expect so much from it. Although Chenoweth only gets a very small moment to sing which is never enough come on. Also how on earth are we supposed to believe that DeVito could get her as a wife?
Anyway as the two men battle to be the best at Christmas this isolates their wives against them as they are becoming quick friends. The same with their teenage daughters, which creates an extremely cringe worthy scene with DeVito and Broderick watching and shouting awful things to three women dancing, "Who's your daddy" when they turn around turns out they are shouting these things to their own daughters. I think that is lowest point of the film and really no coming back from that at all.
I mean does anyone even care if his house can be seen from space with so many Christmas lights on? Well, not really to be brutally honest. It also creates even more crazy scenes when they are then linked to the space station on Christmas Eve. Come on we expect so much more from a film with DeVito and Broderick, I am sure they could have been given a much better story and script? Such a shame really as I really do like them both a lot as actors.
Don't rush to watch this one I think I have subjected myself to it a couple of times now and in all honesty have no idea why? Maybe, just maybe I have hope that it would get better with another viewing? I can now confirm it actually just gets worse and worse with each viewing. Who else has watched this film then? Expecting just a little bit more from it than we actually end up getting. Are the whole Christmas lights thing still more of an American tradition? I know it is something that has crept across to the UK in recent years but I don't really remember it being too bad last year, I guess I will have to wait a few more weeks to check the houses for decorations this year!
