X
  • 2007
  • PG
  • Warner Bros.
  • 1 h 56 m
  • 2007
  • PG
  • Warner Bros.
  • 1 h 56 m

Summary Fred Claus has lived almost his entire life in his little brother's very large shadow. Fred tried, but he could never live up to the example set by the younger Nicholas, who was just a perfect...well...Saint. True to form, Nicholas grew up to be the model of giving, while Fred became the polar opposite: a repo man who then steals what he...

Directed By: David Dobkin

Written By: Dan Fogelman, Jessie Nelson

  • 2007
  • PG
  • Warner Bros.
  • 1 h 56 m
  • 2007
  • PG
  • Warner Bros.
  • 1 h 56 m
Fred Claus
Metascore Mixed or Average Based on 31 Critic Reviews
42
User Score Universal Acclaim Based on 141 User Ratings
9.0
My Score
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Where to Watch

Summary Fred Claus has lived almost his entire life in his little brother's very large shadow. Fred tried, but he could never live up to the example set by the younger Nicholas, who was just a perfect...well...Saint. True to form, Nicholas grew up to be the model of giving, while Fred became the polar opposite: a repo man who then steals what he...

Directed By: David Dobkin

Written By: Dan Fogelman, Jessie Nelson

Where to Watch

Top Cast

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Mixed or Average Based on 31 Critic Reviews
42
19% Positive
6 Reviews
52% Mixed
16 Reviews
29% Negative
9 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Mixed or Average Based on 31 Critic Reviews
42
19% Positive
6 Reviews
52% Mixed
16 Reviews
29% Negative
9 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
75
Fred Claus sells you something you didn't know you wanted: a Vince Vaughn Christmas movie. Vaughn is not the hook. Neither is the holiday. The script, by Dan Fogelman, is smarter than that.
By Wesley Morris FULL REVIEW
63
Fred Claus seems a clever installment, not a seasonal classic, a buffet whose many nibbles you sample, move on and quickly forget.
FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

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User Score
Universal Acclaim Based on 141 User Ratings
9.0
87% Positive
123 Ratings
8% Mixed
11 Ratings
5% Negative
7 Ratings

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Universal Acclaim Based on 141 User Ratings
9.0
87% Positive
123 Ratings
8% Mixed
11 Ratings
5% Negative
7 Ratings

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
10
edawg
Dec 22, 2014
This is one of the best Christmas movies ever. Full of heart and great acting from the incredible cast. Family moments are hilarious and moving. The ending is the best ever. This movie is super underrated and highly recommended.
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9
superfrog281
Apr 18, 2023
I've heard some people complain about Vince Vaughn being in this film. So what if he's not fit for this type of movie? I'm actually kind of glad he's cast in this Christmas movie, cause that gives him an experiment to try to be a perfect leading-actor role in a Christmas movie and it worked. It also had a lot of heart and gave Vince a warm side, which I'm very glad David Dobkin gave him.
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50
Neither here nor there, the film is “Elf” without the goofy jokes, Will Ferrell or heart, “Bad Santa” without the smut, Billy Bob Thornton or spleen.
By Manohla Dargis FULL REVIEW
50
Fred Claus is less enchanting than the 2003 fairy tale, "Elf" (which was directed by Vaughn's good buddy, Jon Favreau), but no worse than the inexplicably popular Tim Allen series.
By James Berardinelli FULL REVIEW
40
The film isn't just not funny, it is off-putting.
By Kirk Honeycutt FULL REVIEW
33
Few things are more dispiriting than a holiday movie straining to become a perennial. Such is the case with Fred Claus, an insipid Christmas comedy.
By Peter Rainer FULL REVIEW
12
Not like a lump of coal in your stocking. Coal is useful; you can burn it. This movie is more like a lump of something Blitzen left behind after eating a lot of Mexican food.
By Kyle Smith FULL REVIEW
See All 31 Critic Reviews
4
EpicLadySponge
May 16, 2016
Fred Claus doesn't have a story. Just think about it, what is comedy without a story? A poor one that is and Fred Claus falls straight to the naughty list.
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4
worleyjamers
May 26, 2013
The film is much too long, but the film has a surprising amount of heart and some good actors; the combination makes Fred Claus an entertaining holiday movie.
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3
Jack97
Jan 1, 2014
Despite having the best interpretation of the North Pole I've seen in recent films, Fred Claus fails to be the Christmas great it could have been thanks to the terrible humour.
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0
TheWalrus2000
Mar 17, 2013
Fred Claus is just an all together not funny at all film. Vince Vaughn already not being funny in anything else besides Wedding Crashers provides a horrible performance as usual, Giamatti on the other hand shows how much he tries and yet he's still grabbed into the abyss by this awful, stinky, no-good comedy with a horrible cast as well.
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See All 6 User Reviews

Details

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Production Company Warner Bros., Silver Pictures, David Dobkin Productions, Jessie Nelson Productions
Release Date Nov 9, 2007
Duration 1 h 56 m
Rating PG
Genres
Tagline Everybody has that one relative who can't help but cause problems over the holidays. Even Santa.
Website http://wwws.warnerbros.co.uk/fredclaus/
View All Details

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