Frère Noël

I thought this movie was very funny. My sons were begging to go see it so on a whim we decided to take them tonight. Just got back home and the kids were so excited that they laughed about it all the way home. I also think the movie shows a lot about sibling rivalry and how over the years it can blow up and get worse without anyone really realizing that it is happening. There were a lot of funny moments and I noticed everyone in our packed theater was laughing in what seemed to me all the right areas. I think this movie also shows how childhood disappointments can have effects long into your future. Either way, it was a very entertaining way to spend 2 hours and I would see it again.

As an avid lover of traditional Christmas movies, I was not expecting a lot out of Fred Claus. However, I bought it because I wanted something new for my 6 year old, and I really like Vince Vaughn. Many people I talked to didn't like Fred Claus because Vince Vaughn is "the same as he is in every movie." I happen to love that. The rest of the cast was A+ and gave perfect performances. I LOVED THIS MOVIE and would recommend it to anyone who loves Christmas! There were so many funny parts as well as heart warming sweet moments that this movie was one that my 6 year old son and I could enjoy together. I'm glad I skipped renting and just bought this movie as it will be one I look forward to every year.

I watched this with low expectations, expecting it to be a mess. But I was surprised. Fred Claus is far from a Christmas classic, but there are much worse as well, for example Deck the Halls was very mean-spirited and unfunny, both of which I often see Fred Claus get criticised for.

I do agree it is very predictable, and that the direction is on the slack side. And there is also some uneven pacing and moments of disjointed dialogue. That said, it does look good with lovely cinematography and scenery, and the soundtrack is great and does put you in the mood for the Christmas season. Also there are moments of inspired physical comedy and while they have been better Vince Vaughan and Paul Giamatti(who was so good in Sideways) do display a good chemistry and both deliver spirited performances.

So overall, this is not a bad movie. It could have been better, but it is almost certainly not a disaster. 6/10 Bethany Cox

I gave this movie 10 stars to counter some of the 1-star reviews, but I think it garners a solid 7 nonetheless. I don't know what those who rated it so poorly were expecting, but for me, it was just what I expected - enough chuckles to be entertaining, pretty Christmas scenery, and a touching story. My 17 and 12-year-old sons liked it as well. I thought Vince Vaughn played his typical character, which is always good for a laugh or two, though rarely one you would choke yourself on. I don't think the movie would necessarily go over with the pre-school crowd because it's not "The Santa Claus," but children who are old enough to understand the emotions being portrayed should enjoy it. There are a couple of sexual innuendos that may offend the more conservative viewers, but they likely go over the heads of the youngsters. I'm always amazed at the range of reviews movies get here at IMDb, and they truly show why we'll never all get along. I found this particular film both entertaining and moving, which is all I usually ask, particularly of a Holiday film. While "Fred Claus" doesn't go beyond the call of duty so to speak, it certainly lived up to my expectations.

My wife and I took our niece to the theater for this and it was a good time. Vince Vaughn plays the lead role of Fred, the grouchy and disgruntled brother of the real Santa Claus (Paul Giamatti). When things get tough one year up at the North Pole where Santa lives, he sends for his estranged brother to visit him and help out. It seems a nasty efficiency man (Kevin Spacey) is about to shut Santa's massive toy making operation down permanently if certain standards are not maintained, and this low-life is doing everything he can to make sure things never straighten out.

I usually don't like Kevin Spacey, but he was perfect for this part and I enjoyed the whole cast too, in fact. It's getting to the point where I'd go to see any movie with Paul Giamatti in it, and though you'd think he's not physically right for the role of Santa Claus, he makes it work. I found this funny and festive, with something to say about what hurt feelings and mistreatment can do to turn good people bad (ie; make nice people "naughty"). I especially got a kick out of a scene featuring a "Syblings Anonymous" type of meeting for disgruntled brothers, where some famous faces made cameos. There's good music featured throughout as well, and not all of it necessarily being Christmas tunes. *** out of ****