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Deck the Halls

EMAILPRINTTwentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Deck the Halls reviews
28
4.2 User Score:

Generally unfavorable reviews

Based on 22 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 14 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Comedy  |  Family/Kids

Written by: Matt Corman
Chris Ord
Don Rhymer

Directed by: John Whitesell

Release Date:
Theatrical: November 22, 2006

Running Time: 95 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: PG for some crude and suggestive humor, and for language

Starring Danny DeVito, Matthew Broderick, Kristin Davis, Kristin Chenoweth, Alia Shawkat, Dylan Blue, Sabrina Aldridge, and Kelly Aldridge

Deck the Halls is a family comedy about one-upsmanship, jealousy, clashing neighbors, home decoration -- and the true spirit of the holidays. (20th Century Fox)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

63

New York Post Kyle Smith

It is a better option than the third "Santa Clause."

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63

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Jennie Punter

Isn't exactly what you'd call fresh. But although it borrows ingredients from many familiar Christmas flicks, it's got a sly twinkle of its own.

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50

Village Voice Ella Taylor

Though DeVito and Chenoweth bring a rough plebeian charm to the proceedings, it's nothing short of tragic to see the great Ferris Bueller relegated to grimacing straight man.

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50

TV Guide Ken Fox

Filled with forced yuletide cheer and mixed messages about the true meaning of Christmas, this loud and obnoxious holiday comedy boasts a fine cast and little else.

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42

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

In this year's lump of coal, Matthew Broderick is the control freak who lives for toasty yuletide cheer, and Danny DeVito is the vulgar pest who wants his holiday lights seen from space. The dueling-neighbor crankfest is blah.

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40

Los Angeles Times Sam Adams

Like a fatally snarled string of Christmas lights, Deck the Halls promises holiday cheer but delivers only frustration.

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40

The New York Times A.O. Scott

Mr. Broderick and Mr. DeVito look tired and out of sorts, and you can hardly blame them, given the picture's inept, curdled mixture of sappiness and crude humor.

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38

Miami Herald Peter Debruge

Unfortunately, this dimwit concept barely has enough spark to power a single strand of Christmas lights, much less rival the classic-by-comparison "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" in side-splitting Yuletide snafus.

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38

Chicago Tribune Jessica Reaves

Nobody expects every holiday film to ascend to classic status; in fact, we're happy to let most fade from memory as soon as the decorations are taken off the trees. We can, however, demand they live up to a certain level of fun, thereby allowing parents to watch along with their kids without plotting the most direct route to the exit.

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38

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

Broderick is uptight; DeVito is obnoxious; and, somewhere, Nathan Lane is thanking his lucky stars he didn't get roped into this dreck.

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30

Variety Brian Lowry

A lifeless, workmanlike comedy conceived to provide holiday shoppers an inoffensive respite from the mall.

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30

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

I literally did not count a single laugh in the whole aimless schlep, except for the hucksters who made it, on their way to the bank.

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30

Austin Chronicle Josh Rosenblatt

What's interesting about typical Hollywood Christmas movies is that regardless of how crass, vulgar, or mean-spirited they may be, by the last scene they will inevitably try to wrap viewers in a blanket of warm seasonal cheer.

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25

The Onion (A.V. Club) Nathan Rabin

A rancid new Yuletide comedy.

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25

ReelViews James Berardinelli

When it comes to comedy, Deck the Halls is remarkably tedious.

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25

Boston Globe Ty Burr

The saddest part is that "Deck" wastes four comic talents ranging from the near-genius (Matthew Broderick, Danny DeVito) to the inspired (Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth ) to the charming (Kristin Davis of "Sex and the City").

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25

Philadelphia Inquirer David Hiltbrand

Can be described as whatever is the opposite of a Christmas classic.

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20

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

The sheer nastiness of the jealous one-upmanship and angry sabotage puts a damper on the yuletide comedy. You're much better off watching a DVD of "Bad Santa."

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16

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

It is so contrived and utterly stupid in every way that it surely must be the nadir of the genre.

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10

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

This one follows the depressing pattern of "Surviving Christmas" and "Christmas With the Kranks": enforced holiday cheer gives way to bilious hatred, then hollow forgiveness.

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0

San Francisco Chronicle Walter Addiego

Belongs in the holiday hall of shame.

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0

Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow

There isn't an earned moment of uplift or laughter in the movie. Everything in it is prefab.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 4.2 (out of 10) based on 14 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Brandon C. gave it a1:
Starts out somewhat interesting, and DeVito is always good--he could read the phone book and make it interesting--but, he can't overcome the horridly cliched script full of trite, heartstring tugs. Broderick seems to sleepwalk it, and looks a tad bloated.

Elad gave it a7:
What the hey! It's a zany Christmas movie and you'll enjoy it if you enjoy zany Christmas movies. Predictable but in a good sort of way.

Mister B. gave it a9:
Arguably the most important work from a major studio this year. "Deck the Halls" skewers commercialism, organized religion, familial dysfunction, pop psychology, and the modern industrial condition ... and that's just the first reel. Broderick's manic vulnerability hasn't been put to such good use since "Max Dugan Returns," and DeVito is charming and smug all at once. This will surely replace "It's A Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Story" for required Christmas viewing.

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