Fred Claus
Encyclopedia
Fred Claus is a 2007 Christmas family-comedy film produced and directed by David Dobkin
, written by Dan Fogelman and Jessie Nelson, and starring Vince Vaughn
and Paul Giamatti
.
Europe
, where a woman gives birth to a baby. As the baby is born, the midwife comments that it is the fattest baby she has ever seen. Within a few minutes of his birth, the baby starts saying: "Ho, ho, ho!". Mother Claus (Kathy Bates
) calls her son Frederick (Vince Vaughn
) over to meet his new brother, whom she has decided to name him Nicholas
(Paul Giamatti
). Mother Claus lovingly refers to the new baby as her little Saint Nick, while Fred promises to be the best big brother ever. Fred and Nick later grow up amidst the development of some Christmas traditions. First, during Nick's birthday, Fred makes a special journal with Nick's name on it as a present. After opening all of his gifts, Nick places them in a box and tells his family that he is going to take them to the orphan boy who lives around the corner, because giving gifts brings him joy. Their parents are very pleased with their son, while Fred is angry that Nick is giving away his thoughtful gift. However, as Fred gets upset, Mother Claus says that Fred should learn to be more like his brother, causing Fred to resent Nick.
Feeling his family does not understand him, Fred often climbs a large tree in the woods, and visits the only person who understands him: Chirp-Chirp – a bird that lives in a birdhouse in the tree outside their house. As Fred confides to the bird about his problems, the tree suddenly falls down, crushing the birdhouse and causing the bird to leave. It is then revealed that Nick cut down the tree because Fred liked the tree so much, and thought it would be a great idea to bring the tree inside and put gifts underneath for his sake. This is clearly the last straw, and causes a permanent rift between Fred and Nick. Cutting to present-day, it is explained that when Nick (Now played by Paul Giamatti
) eventually becomes a saint due to all his good deeds, he, his spouse, and his immediate family become frozen in time, never to age
. Nick has become the modern-day Santa Claus
, giving gifts to people, and Fred (Now played by Vince Vaughn
) runs a repo
company to take them away. Fred then goes to see his girlfriend, Wanda Blinkowski (Rachel Weisz
), who gets mad at Fred for forgetting that her birthday was the next day. She also references that for their anniversary last year he had dropped hints about the Eiffel Tower
and having her take French
lessons, only to give a bad gift rather than the implied trip to France
. Fred promises that they'll be going to a new hotspot for her birthday although he did not check out the restaurant, only naming the restaurant he sees on a billboard as a last-minute plan.
The next day, Fred plans to buy a property to open up a gambling facility, but is required to pay $50,000 by December 22 to secure the property. As an attempt to raise the money, Fred grabs a Santa hat and a tin container and poses as a Salvation Army
worker. When the real Salvation Army Santas confront him, a comical chase ensues, ending with Fred's arrest. Needing $5,000 bail, Fred tries to call Wanda, who doesn't answer because she is waiting for him at her birthday dinner, which turns out to be at a disgusting restaurant where men are watching sumo fights in the middle of the room. A policeman takes pity on Fred and allows him to make one more phone call. Fred calls Nick and tries to convince him to send $55,000. Nick almost agrees, but Mrs. Claus
(Miranda Richardson
) told Nick to use "tough love". As a result, Nick agrees to send $5,000 immediately to pay for the bail, but says that Fred has to go to the North Pole and work for him to earn the remaining $50,000.
Back at his apartment, Fred is packing up when a boy named Samuel "Slam" Gibbons (Bobb'e J. Thompson) comes in, who obviously doesn't have a stable living situation. He talks about wanting a puppy for Christmas, but Fred tells him not to count on others for things. Later on, Family Services shows up because his home is unfit, and he is moved to an orphanage. Soon after, an elf named Willy (John Michael Higgins
) shows up to take Fred to the North Pole. We learn that Willy is the head elf, and has a crush on Santa's Little Helper Charlene (Elizabeth Banks
), although she can't even remember his name. Once Fred and Willy arrive at the North Pole, Nick welcomes Fred warmly and shows him around, including the naughty/nice room. In the room is found a Top Ten List of the 10 most naughty children at any given time. There is also a humongous snow globe
in the room, where you can say any person's name and see if they're being naughty or nice. Fred asks to see Wanda, and we see his girlfriend talking to a guy on the street whom she gave a parking ticket to. The man asks Wanda if she has a boyfriend and she says no (obviously upset that he stood her up on her birthday); she declines his offer for dinner but takes his business card. Nick shows Fred where he will be working, looking at children's requests and determining if they are naughty or nice.
While Fred starts working, Nick and Mrs. Claus are introduced to Clyde Northcutt (Kevin Spacey
), an efficiency expert who has come to assess the situation at the North Pole. Further, if Nick and Mrs. Claus gets three strikes by Christmas, Clyde will shut them down. Back at the workshop, Fred starts getting restless, particularly because the DJ elf (Ludacris
) keeps playing "Here Comes Santa Claus
" on a loop. Fred locks the DJ in a cupboard, puts on the song Rubberneckin', and convinces the elves to vacate their stations to join in the dance party. Nick, Mrs. Claus, and Clyde walk in on this, and Clyde says that Nick's inability to control his work staff is Strike #1. That night at dinnertime, Nick convinces Fred to come to dinner with their parents and Clyde, and it's clear that Fred hasn't spoken to his parents in years. Sitting down to dinner, Fred's mother continues to praise Nick. Fred storms out and heads to Frosty's Tavern, where he meets Willy. Willy discusses his lack of self-confidence regarding Charlene, and Fred tries to teach him to dance to the song Beast Of Burden
. Unfortunately, Charlene enters the tavern just as Willy falls on his face, and Willy runs off embarrassed.
Later, when everyone else is asleep, Clyde sneaks into Fred's office, using a shredder to destroy many of Fred's naughty/nice records, effectively framing Fred for the infraction, and marks it as Strike #2. Later, Fred is shocked to see that Sam is now the #1 naughty kid. Sam is shown arguing with the other children in the orphanage, saying the same types of things that Fred has said to Sam earlier. Fred then concludes that children aren't truly naughty, but are simply either scared or misunderstood. Afterward, Fred furiously marks everyone as nice, rather than a mix of naughty and nice. Nick quickly learns about what Fred had done and is not happy, and confronts Fred, stating that if the elves will not be able to make enough gifts for every child if they are all marked "nice". Nick and Fred end up fighting, which ends when Nick injures his back. Frustrated with his entire family, Fred leaves the North Pole with his $50,000 as soon as they reach December 22, but Nick gives him one present to take with him. Fred waits until he returns home to open the gift, which is a birdhouse, a replacement for the one on the tree, and a note from Nick, saying he's sorry for sawing down the tree. Obviously confused about his feelings, Fred enters into a Siblings Anonymous meeting, where he is joined with the brothers of Alec Baldwin
, Sylvester Stallone
, and Bill Clinton
and other famous look-alikes. Eventually, Bill's brother makes a speech about how, even though he could have ruined everything for his brother who he resented, he chose to be a good brother and let him be successful.
Back at the North Pole, it looks like Christmas is lost: Nick can hardly get out of bed because of his bad back, and Clyde has given Nick Strike #3. However, before the deliveries should start, Fred shows up, having used his money to charter a plane, boat, and sled dogs to get back to the North Pole and help out. Without Clyde's knowledge, Fred and the elves work tirelessly to make at least one toy for each child, with no reference to if they're naughty or nice. However, Nick still can't drive the sleigh, and only a Claus can deliver the toys. So Fred decides to help deliver the toys. With Willy's help in the sleigh (and elves back at the North Pole serving as mission control), Fred starts delivering presents around the world (including giving a puppy to Sam and telling him to care about others), but has to be back to the North Pole before sunrise; otherwise, Christmas will be permanently shut down. Fred starts delivering toys, albeit without any gracefulness, with the help of Willy and the other elves. However, halfway through the night, Clyde pulls the electricity at the workshop, so that the elves can no longer give directions to Fred and Willy. While Fred and Willy try to finish delivering the gifts, Nick goes to talk to Clyde, finally realizing why he was holding such a grudge. It turns out that as a child, Clyde had always wanted a Superman cape, but had always been on the naughty list. Nick gives Clyde the cape he had always wanted, ending the grudge between the two. Clyde tries to turn the electricity back on, but it still won't work, leaving Fred and Willy on their own, sightless in the sky.
The next morning, all the elves wait nervously at Frosty's Tavern, assuming the worst. Willy and Fred return, successful in their efforts. Willy, with a renewed confidence, goes to kiss Charlene, who can now remember his name and obviously returns the sentiment. With Christmas saved, Fred returns to Wanda's house, but she is still furious with him. However, Fred feels renewed hope when he finds out she never met the other guy for dinner, and gives her a present. She opens it to find a teddy bear holding a French flag, implying that he is going to keep his promise to go to France. Fred and Wanda get back together, and use the sleigh to travel to Paris
and see the Eiffel Tower
. Charlene and Willy are now happily together. Clyde now works at the North Pole as a consultant, and helps the elves to meet quota without problems. He is also shown to be wearing his new Superman cape underneath his clothes. Finally, Fred and Wanda meet Nick, Mrs. Claus, and Mother and Father Claus for dinner, showing that they've reconciled and come together as a family. Chirp-Chirp lands on the birdhouse right outside where everyone is having dinner, chirping happily.
Cameo
.
The movie earned $18,515,473 in its first weekend. The film closed on February 14, 2008 with a final gross of $72,006,777 in North America and another $25,831,572 in other territories for a total worldwide gross of $97,838,349. The film became number 1 in the UK on its first weekend, bringing in £1.93m. It held the top spot for 1 week until being knocked off by The Golden Compass.
and Blu-ray Disc
on November 24, 2008 in the UK
, and November 25, 2008 in the US. The special features includes 25 minutes of deleted scenes and an audio commentary by director David Dobkin
. The Blu-ray Disc
version includes a music video for "Ludacrismas" by Ludacris in High Definition
and also a bonus disc entitled Fred Claus: Race to Save Christmas.
David Dobkin (director)
David Dobkin is an American film director, producer and former screenwriter best known for directing Clay Pigeons, Shanghai Knights, Wedding Crashers, Fred Claus and The Change-Up.-Early life and education:...
, written by Dan Fogelman and Jessie Nelson, and starring Vince Vaughn
Vince Vaughn
Vincent Anthony "Vince" Vaughn is an American film actor, screenwriter, producer and comedian. He began acting in the late 1980s, appearing in minor television roles before attaining wider recognition with the 1996 movie Swingers...
and Paul Giamatti
Paul Giamatti
Paul Edward Valentine Giamatti is an American actor. Giamatti began his career as a supporting actor in several films produced during the 1990s including Private Parts, The Truman Show, Saving Private Ryan, The Negotiator, and Man on the Moon, before earning lead roles in several projects in the...
.
Plot
The film begins in Middle AgeMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, where a woman gives birth to a baby. As the baby is born, the midwife comments that it is the fattest baby she has ever seen. Within a few minutes of his birth, the baby starts saying: "Ho, ho, ho!". Mother Claus (Kathy Bates
Kathy Bates
Kathleen Doyle "Kathy" Bates is an American actress and director.After several small roles in film and television, Bates rose to prominence with her performance in Misery , for which she won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe...
) calls her son Frederick (Vince Vaughn
Vince Vaughn
Vincent Anthony "Vince" Vaughn is an American film actor, screenwriter, producer and comedian. He began acting in the late 1980s, appearing in minor television roles before attaining wider recognition with the 1996 movie Swingers...
) over to meet his new brother, whom she has decided to name him Nicholas
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
(Paul Giamatti
Paul Giamatti
Paul Edward Valentine Giamatti is an American actor. Giamatti began his career as a supporting actor in several films produced during the 1990s including Private Parts, The Truman Show, Saving Private Ryan, The Negotiator, and Man on the Moon, before earning lead roles in several projects in the...
). Mother Claus lovingly refers to the new baby as her little Saint Nick, while Fred promises to be the best big brother ever. Fred and Nick later grow up amidst the development of some Christmas traditions. First, during Nick's birthday, Fred makes a special journal with Nick's name on it as a present. After opening all of his gifts, Nick places them in a box and tells his family that he is going to take them to the orphan boy who lives around the corner, because giving gifts brings him joy. Their parents are very pleased with their son, while Fred is angry that Nick is giving away his thoughtful gift. However, as Fred gets upset, Mother Claus says that Fred should learn to be more like his brother, causing Fred to resent Nick.
Feeling his family does not understand him, Fred often climbs a large tree in the woods, and visits the only person who understands him: Chirp-Chirp – a bird that lives in a birdhouse in the tree outside their house. As Fred confides to the bird about his problems, the tree suddenly falls down, crushing the birdhouse and causing the bird to leave. It is then revealed that Nick cut down the tree because Fred liked the tree so much, and thought it would be a great idea to bring the tree inside and put gifts underneath for his sake. This is clearly the last straw, and causes a permanent rift between Fred and Nick. Cutting to present-day, it is explained that when Nick (Now played by Paul Giamatti
Paul Giamatti
Paul Edward Valentine Giamatti is an American actor. Giamatti began his career as a supporting actor in several films produced during the 1990s including Private Parts, The Truman Show, Saving Private Ryan, The Negotiator, and Man on the Moon, before earning lead roles in several projects in the...
) eventually becomes a saint due to all his good deeds, he, his spouse, and his immediate family become frozen in time, never to age
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
. Nick has become the modern-day Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
, giving gifts to people, and Fred (Now played by Vince Vaughn
Vince Vaughn
Vincent Anthony "Vince" Vaughn is an American film actor, screenwriter, producer and comedian. He began acting in the late 1980s, appearing in minor television roles before attaining wider recognition with the 1996 movie Swingers...
) runs a repo
Repossession
Repossession is generally used to refer to a financial institution taking back an object that was either used as collateral or rented or leased in a transaction. Repossession is a "self-help" type of action in which the party having right of ownership of the property in question takes the property...
company to take them away. Fred then goes to see his girlfriend, Wanda Blinkowski (Rachel Weisz
Rachel Weisz
Rachel Hannah Weisz born 7 March 1970)is an English-American film and theatre actress and former fashion model. She started her acting career at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where she co-founded the theatrical group Cambridge Talking Tongues...
), who gets mad at Fred for forgetting that her birthday was the next day. She also references that for their anniversary last year he had dropped hints about the Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
and having her take French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
lessons, only to give a bad gift rather than the implied trip to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Fred promises that they'll be going to a new hotspot for her birthday although he did not check out the restaurant, only naming the restaurant he sees on a billboard as a last-minute plan.
The next day, Fred plans to buy a property to open up a gambling facility, but is required to pay $50,000 by December 22 to secure the property. As an attempt to raise the money, Fred grabs a Santa hat and a tin container and poses as a Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
worker. When the real Salvation Army Santas confront him, a comical chase ensues, ending with Fred's arrest. Needing $5,000 bail, Fred tries to call Wanda, who doesn't answer because she is waiting for him at her birthday dinner, which turns out to be at a disgusting restaurant where men are watching sumo fights in the middle of the room. A policeman takes pity on Fred and allows him to make one more phone call. Fred calls Nick and tries to convince him to send $55,000. Nick almost agrees, but Mrs. Claus
Mrs. Claus
Mrs. Claus is the wife of Santa Claus, the Christmas gift-bringer in North American Christmas tradition.While Santa Claus himself emerged from the 1820s from a number of traditions of European folklore, Mrs...
(Miranda Richardson
Miranda Richardson
Miranda Jane Richardson is an English stage, film and television actor. She has been nominated for two Academy Awards, and has won two Golden Globes and a BAFTA during her career....
) told Nick to use "tough love". As a result, Nick agrees to send $5,000 immediately to pay for the bail, but says that Fred has to go to the North Pole and work for him to earn the remaining $50,000.
Back at his apartment, Fred is packing up when a boy named Samuel "Slam" Gibbons (Bobb'e J. Thompson) comes in, who obviously doesn't have a stable living situation. He talks about wanting a puppy for Christmas, but Fred tells him not to count on others for things. Later on, Family Services shows up because his home is unfit, and he is moved to an orphanage. Soon after, an elf named Willy (John Michael Higgins
John Michael Higgins
John Michael Higgins is an American actor whose film credits include Christopher Guest's mockumentaries, the role of David Letterman in HBO's The Late Shift, and a starring role in the American version of Kath & Kim....
) shows up to take Fred to the North Pole. We learn that Willy is the head elf, and has a crush on Santa's Little Helper Charlene (Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell , known professionally as Elizabeth Banks, is an American actress. Banks had her film debut in the low-budget independent film Surrender Dorothy...
), although she can't even remember his name. Once Fred and Willy arrive at the North Pole, Nick welcomes Fred warmly and shows him around, including the naughty/nice room. In the room is found a Top Ten List of the 10 most naughty children at any given time. There is also a humongous snow globe
Snow globe
A snow globe is a transparent sphere, usually made of glass, enclosing a miniaturized scene of some sort, often together with a model of a landscape. The sphere also encloses the water in the globe; the water serves as the medium through which the "snow" falls. To activate the snow, the globe is...
in the room, where you can say any person's name and see if they're being naughty or nice. Fred asks to see Wanda, and we see his girlfriend talking to a guy on the street whom she gave a parking ticket to. The man asks Wanda if she has a boyfriend and she says no (obviously upset that he stood her up on her birthday); she declines his offer for dinner but takes his business card. Nick shows Fred where he will be working, looking at children's requests and determining if they are naughty or nice.
While Fred starts working, Nick and Mrs. Claus are introduced to Clyde Northcutt (Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
), an efficiency expert who has come to assess the situation at the North Pole. Further, if Nick and Mrs. Claus gets three strikes by Christmas, Clyde will shut them down. Back at the workshop, Fred starts getting restless, particularly because the DJ elf (Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
) keeps playing "Here Comes Santa Claus
Here Comes Santa Claus
"Here Comes Santa Claus " is a Christmas song written by Gene Autry and Oakley Haldeman.Autry got the idea for the song after riding his horse in the 1946 Santa Claus Lane Parade in Los Angeles, during which crowds of spectators chanted, "Here comes Santa Claus". This inspired him to write a song...
" on a loop. Fred locks the DJ in a cupboard, puts on the song Rubberneckin', and convinces the elves to vacate their stations to join in the dance party. Nick, Mrs. Claus, and Clyde walk in on this, and Clyde says that Nick's inability to control his work staff is Strike #1. That night at dinnertime, Nick convinces Fred to come to dinner with their parents and Clyde, and it's clear that Fred hasn't spoken to his parents in years. Sitting down to dinner, Fred's mother continues to praise Nick. Fred storms out and heads to Frosty's Tavern, where he meets Willy. Willy discusses his lack of self-confidence regarding Charlene, and Fred tries to teach him to dance to the song Beast Of Burden
Beast of burden
Beast of burden is a synonym for pack animal.Beast of burden may also refer to:*"Beast of Burden" , originally written and performed by The Rolling Stones*"Beast of Burden" , a television episode...
. Unfortunately, Charlene enters the tavern just as Willy falls on his face, and Willy runs off embarrassed.
Later, when everyone else is asleep, Clyde sneaks into Fred's office, using a shredder to destroy many of Fred's naughty/nice records, effectively framing Fred for the infraction, and marks it as Strike #2. Later, Fred is shocked to see that Sam is now the #1 naughty kid. Sam is shown arguing with the other children in the orphanage, saying the same types of things that Fred has said to Sam earlier. Fred then concludes that children aren't truly naughty, but are simply either scared or misunderstood. Afterward, Fred furiously marks everyone as nice, rather than a mix of naughty and nice. Nick quickly learns about what Fred had done and is not happy, and confronts Fred, stating that if the elves will not be able to make enough gifts for every child if they are all marked "nice". Nick and Fred end up fighting, which ends when Nick injures his back. Frustrated with his entire family, Fred leaves the North Pole with his $50,000 as soon as they reach December 22, but Nick gives him one present to take with him. Fred waits until he returns home to open the gift, which is a birdhouse, a replacement for the one on the tree, and a note from Nick, saying he's sorry for sawing down the tree. Obviously confused about his feelings, Fred enters into a Siblings Anonymous meeting, where he is joined with the brothers of Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television.Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush. He was a cast member for two seasons before his character was killed off...
, Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
, and Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and other famous look-alikes. Eventually, Bill's brother makes a speech about how, even though he could have ruined everything for his brother who he resented, he chose to be a good brother and let him be successful.
Back at the North Pole, it looks like Christmas is lost: Nick can hardly get out of bed because of his bad back, and Clyde has given Nick Strike #3. However, before the deliveries should start, Fred shows up, having used his money to charter a plane, boat, and sled dogs to get back to the North Pole and help out. Without Clyde's knowledge, Fred and the elves work tirelessly to make at least one toy for each child, with no reference to if they're naughty or nice. However, Nick still can't drive the sleigh, and only a Claus can deliver the toys. So Fred decides to help deliver the toys. With Willy's help in the sleigh (and elves back at the North Pole serving as mission control), Fred starts delivering presents around the world (including giving a puppy to Sam and telling him to care about others), but has to be back to the North Pole before sunrise; otherwise, Christmas will be permanently shut down. Fred starts delivering toys, albeit without any gracefulness, with the help of Willy and the other elves. However, halfway through the night, Clyde pulls the electricity at the workshop, so that the elves can no longer give directions to Fred and Willy. While Fred and Willy try to finish delivering the gifts, Nick goes to talk to Clyde, finally realizing why he was holding such a grudge. It turns out that as a child, Clyde had always wanted a Superman cape, but had always been on the naughty list. Nick gives Clyde the cape he had always wanted, ending the grudge between the two. Clyde tries to turn the electricity back on, but it still won't work, leaving Fred and Willy on their own, sightless in the sky.
The next morning, all the elves wait nervously at Frosty's Tavern, assuming the worst. Willy and Fred return, successful in their efforts. Willy, with a renewed confidence, goes to kiss Charlene, who can now remember his name and obviously returns the sentiment. With Christmas saved, Fred returns to Wanda's house, but she is still furious with him. However, Fred feels renewed hope when he finds out she never met the other guy for dinner, and gives her a present. She opens it to find a teddy bear holding a French flag, implying that he is going to keep his promise to go to France. Fred and Wanda get back together, and use the sleigh to travel to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and see the Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
. Charlene and Willy are now happily together. Clyde now works at the North Pole as a consultant, and helps the elves to meet quota without problems. He is also shown to be wearing his new Superman cape underneath his clothes. Finally, Fred and Wanda meet Nick, Mrs. Claus, and Mother and Father Claus for dinner, showing that they've reconciled and come together as a family. Chirp-Chirp lands on the birdhouse right outside where everyone is having dinner, chirping happily.
Cast
- Vince VaughnVince VaughnVincent Anthony "Vince" Vaughn is an American film actor, screenwriter, producer and comedian. He began acting in the late 1980s, appearing in minor television roles before attaining wider recognition with the 1996 movie Swingers...
as Frederick "Fred" Claus, Santa's older brother. After Nick was born, Fred grew jealous and bitter, and eventually left the North Pole. He now lives in Chicago as a fast-talking but hapless repo man. - Paul GiamattiPaul GiamattiPaul Edward Valentine Giamatti is an American actor. Giamatti began his career as a supporting actor in several films produced during the 1990s including Private Parts, The Truman Show, Saving Private Ryan, The Negotiator, and Man on the Moon, before earning lead roles in several projects in the...
as Nicholas "Nick" ClausSanta ClausSanta Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
, He is Santa Claus, but when Clyde shows up, he almost gets shut down until Fred delivers the gifts. - Miranda RichardsonMiranda RichardsonMiranda Jane Richardson is an English stage, film and television actor. She has been nominated for two Academy Awards, and has won two Golden Globes and a BAFTA during her career....
as Mrs. Annette ClausMrs. ClausMrs. Claus is the wife of Santa Claus, the Christmas gift-bringer in North American Christmas tradition.While Santa Claus himself emerged from the 1820s from a number of traditions of European folklore, Mrs...
, Santa's wife and Fred's sister-in-law. - Kathy BatesKathy BatesKathleen Doyle "Kathy" Bates is an American actress and director.After several small roles in film and television, Bates rose to prominence with her performance in Misery , for which she won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe...
as Mother Claus, Fred and Santa's mother. - Trevor PeacockTrevor PeacockTrevor Peacock is an English stage and television character actor. He was born in Tottenham, London, the son of Alexandria and Victor Edward Peacock.-Television and Film Career:...
as Papa Claus, Fred and Santa's father. Papa Claus also narrates the film. - Rachel WeiszRachel WeiszRachel Hannah Weisz born 7 March 1970)is an English-American film and theatre actress and former fashion model. She started her acting career at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where she co-founded the theatrical group Cambridge Talking Tongues...
as Wanda Blinkowski, Fred's girlfriend who is a parking enforcement officer. - Kevin SpaceyKevin SpaceyKevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
as Clyde Northcutt, an efficiency expert. - Elizabeth BanksElizabeth BanksElizabeth Maresal Mitchell , known professionally as Elizabeth Banks, is an American actress. Banks had her film debut in the low-budget independent film Surrender Dorothy...
as Charlene, a tall, blond elf who Willie becomes enamored with. - Bobb'e J. Thompson as Samuel "Slam" Gibbons, a young orphan that Fred mentors.
- John Michael HigginsJohn Michael HigginsJohn Michael Higgins is an American actor whose film credits include Christopher Guest's mockumentaries, the role of David Letterman in HBO's The Late Shift, and a starring role in the American version of Kath & Kim....
as Willie, an elf whom Fred befriends and helps hook up with Charlene. - Chris Bridges as DJ Donnie.
- Allan CordunerAllan CordunerAllan Corduner is an English actor.-Early life:Corduner grew up in a secular Jewish home in North London with his mother, father and a younger brother. His mother had escaped to England from Nazi Germany with her family in 1938...
as Dr. Goldfarb. - Liam JamesLiam JamesLiam James is a Canadian child actor. He is best known for his role as Noah Curtis in 2009 film 2012 and for portraying young Shawn Spencer on the USA Network TV series Psych....
as young Fred Claus, age 12. - Theo Stevenson as Young Nick
- Nick Ghilardi as an orphan.
As themselves
- Frank StalloneFrank StalloneFrank P. Stallone, Jr. is an American actor, singer/guitarist and Golden Globe and Grammy Award-nominated songwriter. He has appeared in many Hollywood films and television. He is the younger brother of Sylvester Stallone.-Early life:...
- Roger ClintonRoger Clinton, Jr.Roger Cassidy Clinton is an American actor and musician and the half-brother of former President Bill Clinton.Roger Clinton was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas , the son of Virginia Clinton Kelley and Roger M...
- Stephen BaldwinStephen BaldwinStephen Andrew Baldwin is an American actor, director, producer and author. One of the Baldwin brothers, he is known for his roles as William F. Cody in the western show The Young Riders and as Stuart in the movie Threesome...
Cameo
- Jeffrey Dean MorganJeffrey Dean MorganJeffrey Dean Morgan is an American actor, best known to television and movie audiences as Denny Duquette on Grey's Anatomy, patriarch John Winchester on Supernatural, and as The Comedian in the 2009 superhero film Watchmen....
– Unnamed man getting parking ticket.
Reception
Overall, the movie did not fare well with critics, resulting in a 23% rating at Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
The movie earned $18,515,473 in its first weekend. The film closed on February 14, 2008 with a final gross of $72,006,777 in North America and another $25,831,572 in other territories for a total worldwide gross of $97,838,349. The film became number 1 in the UK on its first weekend, bringing in £1.93m. It held the top spot for 1 week until being knocked off by The Golden Compass.
Home media
The movie was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
on November 24, 2008 in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and November 25, 2008 in the US. The special features includes 25 minutes of deleted scenes and an audio commentary by director David Dobkin
David Dobkin (director)
David Dobkin is an American film director, producer and former screenwriter best known for directing Clay Pigeons, Shanghai Knights, Wedding Crashers, Fred Claus and The Change-Up.-Early life and education:...
. The Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
version includes a music video for "Ludacrismas" by Ludacris in High Definition
High-definition video
High-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
and also a bonus disc entitled Fred Claus: Race to Save Christmas.