A Merry Friggin' Christmas

Family is not pretty all the time and Movies with a great cast dont always make a great movie. It was a good movie though and it ended better than it started. I'd watch it again next Christmas.

First, let me say, this is the best Christmas movie I've seen in a long time. While the idea behind it seems to be a stereotypical Hallmark Christmas movie, the movie addresses the issues in a decidedly non- Hallmark way. It doesn't just resolve with everyone forgiving each other because of "Christmas Magic" and it doesn't treat serious issues in a heavy handed way.

While it has plenty of comedic moments, you shouldn't consider it a comedy. If you do, then it fails because, while the antics of the characters are pretty funny, it isn't a fall-off-your-seat-laughing sort of movie. It is a genuinely good movie about a dysfunctional family, children questioning the magic of the world, and a father who is desperately trying to be a better dad than his was.

It is extremely well written and the performances by Joel McHale, Lauren Graham, Candice Bergen, and (of course) Robin Williams make this movie a must see for any Christmas or Robin Williams fans.

As a Robin Williams fan, I'm sad to say that this, one of his last films before he died, was not a good one. This is not the film by which you should remember the late great Robin Williams. It is an affront to his legacy as a great comedian and actor. This is a forgettable film that will forever be overshadowed by his much better performances, and relegated to the dustbin of sub-par forgotten Christmas films, of which there are many. Now I'm not criticizing Williams, I think he was a wonderful actor but this film thoroughly stinks and, well, he signed on to play a role in it.

The writing was pretty bad and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. It felt like the actors were playing parodies of dysfunctional characters from other family films. Joel McHale was very dry and awkward throughout the film. His delivery did not come across as genuine and the scenes where he was supposed to be emotional felt fake. I felt the highlight of the film was actually the interactions between two side characters: Luann played by Lauren Graham, who you know as the mom from Gilmore Girls, and the always delightful Candice Bergen infamously known for her character Murphy Brown. There is a section of the film where these two, annoyed by the antics of their respective spouses, decide to drink until intoxication while reminiscing and goofing off. It is genuinely the highlight of otherwise dreary 88 minute mess.

Every actor in this movie is amazing, but what a waste. The writing was poor and the character development was lacking, so they all had little to work with. Why would you cast Robin Williams as a racist, swearing, gun-toting jerk when he is amazing as a heart-warming, loving lunatic? Lauren Graham was probably the best casting in this film as the understanding, patient wife and Joel McHale was great as a sarcastic, weary son. But Candice Bergen was also wasted as a tired, docile wife. Clark Duke, although a brilliant, talented actor, was also miscast as a veteran with PTSD. What?? I would love to see all of these actors in a better film.

This film tells the story of a hedge fund manager who goes home to spend the Christmas with his estranged family. He forgets to bring along with him the Christmas present for his son, and has to go on a long journey to rectify his mistake.

I watched this because it's one of Robin Williams' final films. He plays a grumpy old man who seems to know how to enjoy life, as opposed to his son, who goes a long way to try to be a good father. The plot is very weak, however, and I don't really care for any of the characters. The jokes, which include Nelson the supposedly a war hero, and the recurrent police encounters, are simply not funny. I find "A Merry Friggin' Christmas" a huge disappointment. The only good thing is that the main bulk of the film only runs for 73 minutes.