As we gear up for the holiday season, Hulu is bringing us a lesser-seen side ofTim Allenin a Christmas film in which he is NOT playing Ol' Saint Nick himself. Allen is, of course, best known for his role asScott Calvin inThe Santa Clauseseries, a man who unwittingly finds himself legally bound to take on the mantle of Santa after the previous incumbent fell off his roof back in 1995. However, in 2004, he took part in a different holiday movie, and it wasn’t quite as cheery or festive as riding in a sleigh with his reindeer buddies.
InChristmas with the Kranks, Allen stars as Luther Krank, a suburban dad who, alongside his wife Nora (played byJamie Lee Curtis), decides to skip Christmas entirely after their daughter departs for a Peace Corps assignment.What could go wrong with skipping Christmas?EVERYTHING.The movie follows the utter chaos that ensues as the Kranks, who are initially over the moon at getting to avoid the traditional stresses of the festive season, start becoming the target of outrage from their holiday-obsessed neighbors and friends.
It gets worse for Luther and Nora when their daughter gets in touch at the last minute to let them know she’s coming home for the holidays as a surprise to them, leaving them scrambling to pull together a full-fledged holiday celebration in mere hours. The film is an adaptation ofJohn Grisham’snovelSkipping Christmas, and it focuses on how much pressure we can feel during the Christmas period – but with a fluffier and lighter touch, thanks to Allen’s knack for slapstick comedy and Curtis’ mix of comic timing and ability to appear hysterically flustered.
How Does ‘Skipping Christmas’ Differ From ‘Christmas With the Kranks’?
The movie is a bit more of a broad comedy, whereasGrisham’s novel has a more satirical tone, taking the p*ss out of the commercialization of the Christmas period. The Kranks are slightly more introspective, with Luther focusing on the financial logic of not overspending on twinkly lights and big turkeys, and Nora sadly accepting the wisdom of the decision. The book’s ending is more low-key and reflective, focusing on the importance of family and community without the heavily sentimental Hollywood touch. It sticks closer to Grisham’s more serious themes of finding joy in unexpected places.
Christmas With the Krankswill land on Hulu on November 1, so stick it on your holiday watchlist and make it one of your advent calendar movies in the run-up to the big day. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on what to watch as we near the holiday season.
Christmas With the Kranks
