"Four Christmases"

Comedy, Kids/Family, Romance and Holiday. Rated PG-13.

"Four Christmases" is a hilarious comedy starring Vince Vaughn (as Brad McVie) and Reese Witherspoon (as Kate Kingsberry). Both start out planing for an exotic vacation. It all goes south when heavy fog cancels all flights from the airport. Then, Kate and Brad are forced to change their plans and instead visit the houses of their divorced parents -- his mother, his father, her mother and her father.

Also starring are Zak Broggan, Noah Munck, Jon Favreau, Robert Duvall and Sissy Spacek. Country stars Tim McGraw and Dwight Yoakam also make special appearances. It was given a PG-13 rating for some sexual language and humor.

The movie starts out with a shot of Kate sitting in a bar. Then, we see Brad enter the screen and he begins talking to Kate. She seems very uninterested but Brad keeps talking to her anyways. It appears like they are never going to make a connection. Seconds later, we see them go in the ladies room and they come out as a couple.

Next, we see them packing for a trip to Hawaii. Upon arriving at the ticket counter in the airport, heavy fog grounds all flights. Brad argues with the ticket agent to try and get a flight on a sister airline. Brad and Kate are forced to spend their Christmas with their divorced parents instead.

First, we see arrive at home of Brad's father. Brad gives his dad a satellite dish for a present. His dad tries to explain why he doesn't need it then gives in after a while. Brad tells him you will need someone to install it. The father says "I ain't lettin' no sex offender in my house".

Brad decides that he will install it himself. Next, we go on the roof of the house. It appears that Brad is just about finishing the installation. Suddenly, he begins to slip and fall -- and the satellite dish and cable cord comes with him. We see the cord being extended and the TV is lifted off its table and it goes flying across the house until it catches on fire.

Second, we go to the home of Kate's mother. There, we learn jokes that kids used to say to make fun of Kate while she was in school. Kate tries to tell her family to change the subject. Then, we go to the home of Brad's mother. There we find out that Brad is not his original name -- he changed it. Kate begins to question their relationship from that point forward.

Lastly, he visit the home of Kate's father. At this point, Brad doesn't even enter the house. He appears tired and separated from Kate. Everyone asks Kate where Brad is. This is when her sister Courtney (played by Kristin Chenoweth) shows pictures of Kate when she was a child. Her relatives laugh as the pictures show her being very obese.

There, Kate discovers a pregnancy test in the bathroom. She decides to open it and test herself. Meantime, one of the kids comes in and asks what it is. Kate tells the young girl it is marker. She grabs it out of Kate's hand and announces she will tell her mom. Kate then has to chase after the girl to find the pregnancy test and it reveals that she is going to have a baby. The movie fast forwards to a year later and you'll have to see the film to find out what happens next.

I really enjoyed this movie. It shows how crazy the holidays can be with your families. One or two Christmases is crazy but four can really be something. It is very realistic. I liked all of the stars that were chosen - I think that Vaughn and Witherspoon were a good couple. A perfect movie to see after your thanksgiving feast.

OVERALL RATING: A+

In Theatres Nov. 26, 2008