Fred Claus

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Fred Claus

PG

Released Nov 8, 2007

1h 56m

Holiday

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

20%

Tomatometer

142 Reviews

45%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Of the two Claus brothers, Fred (Vince Vaughn) is the troublemaker and polar opposite of his saintly sibling, Nicholas (Paul Giamatti). When Fred's criminal ways finally land him in big trouble, Nicholas bails him out and brings him to the North Pole to work off the debt by making toys. The headaches mount for St. Nick, who not only must deal with his troublemaking brother, but also an efficiency expert who has come to evaluate Santa's operation.

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Critics Consensus

A slew of talent is wasted in this contrived and overly sentimental Christmas film, which can't quite get the balance between slapstick humor and schmaltzy uplift.

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Hank Sartin

Time Out

Rated: 2/5

Nov 18, 2011

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Charlotte O'Sullivan

London Evening Standard

Fred Claus tries desperately for a Bad Santa meets Elf vibe. Five minutes in, the man sitting next to me was sound asleep.

Rated: 2/5

Nov 30, 2007

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Anthony Quinn

Independent (UK)

The actual effect of films such as this, however, is to put you in an entirely non-Christmas, non-joyous and non-charitable mood.

Rated: 1/5

Nov 30, 2007

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Cory Woodroof

615 Film

What a weird-ass movie. It’s not really for kids, it’s not really for adults, it’s not really for anyone who enjoys Christmas.

Jan 15, 2023

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Paul Giamatti's seemingly inherent playful moroseness adds a delightful dimension to the saintly Nick.

Rated: 2.5/4.0

Sep 8, 2020

Full Review

Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

Despite a great ensemble cast (which includes Paul Giamatti, Kevin Spacey and Rachel Weisz), this is one gift best left unwrapped.

Rated: 1/5

Nov 16, 2018

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jessica

Absolutely the best Christmas movie. Better than ELF.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/16/23

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Jace E

The funniest part of this movie is the fat baby saying "ho". The rest of the humor goes downhill after that. "Fred Claus" is a movie that tries to be clever, but it falls short most of the time. The fact that Fred is a repo man is smart and Sibling Anonymous is a highlight, but the rest of the clever moments seem cheap. Not only that, but a lot of the plot points are overly simplified and easy copouts (i.e., "Only a Claus can deliver the presents.") All problems aside, the North Pole itself looks fantastic. Honestly, when I think of Santa's village, this one is in the top tier. Best Character: Honestly, none of them. If I had to pick, I would say Mother Claus. Best Quote: "There's no naughty kids, Nick. They're all good kids." - Fred Best Scene: As an adamant gift giver, I really enjoyed the snow globe scene. Best Piece of Score: "Suite from Fred Claus"

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

09/16/24

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Laurie S

I don't care what the "critics" say. This film is original and hilarious with surprising funny and touching moments. It focuses on family dynamics and oftentimes the things that make Christmas rough for families - getting together, grudges, childhood issues etc. My entire family lives this movie and we watch it throughout the year.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/01/24

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Joey I

Awesome Christmas movie! One of my favourites. Can't believe how bad the critics have scored this 21! Get out of town.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/25/24

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Rahul P

It's not the best movie out there - but it's a great family movie for old and new alike. There are downs, there are ups, and there are wholesome messages at the end and in between Vince Vaughns scenes. Recommended!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/25/23

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Mark R R

Predictable and slightly entertaining, no jokes that draw a laugh. And the story sends a horrible message to people and children.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

12/25/23

Full Review

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David Dobkin

Director

Vince Vaughn

Fred Claus

Paul Giamatti

Nicholas

Miranda Richardson

Annette Claus

John Michael Higgins

Willie

Rachel Weisz

Wanda

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Fred Claus: Trailer 1

2:23

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Synopsis

Of the two Claus brothers, Fred (Vince Vaughn) is the troublemaker and polar opposite of his saintly sibling, Nicholas (Paul Giamatti). When Fred's criminal ways finally land him in big trouble, Nicholas bails him out and brings him to the North Pole to work off the debt by making toys. The headaches mount for St. Nick, who not only must deal with his troublemaking brother, but also an efficiency expert who has come to evaluate Santa's operation.

Director: David Dobkin
Producer: Joel Silver, David Dobkin, Jessie Nelson
Screenwriter: Dan Fogelman
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Bros., Silver Pictures
Rating: PG (Some Rude Humor|Mild Language)
Genre: Holiday, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 8, 2007, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 2, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $72.0M
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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