A Merry Friggin' Christmas

PG-13

Released Nov 7, 2014

1 hr. 28 min.

Holiday

Comedy

List

14%

21 Reviews

Tomatometer

21%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Boyd is forced to spend Christmas at his parents' house and has to hit the road with his eccentric father to get his son's Christmas gifts before morning.

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Jeff M

Unfortunately, the most noteworthy aspect of this below average holiday film is the fact that it was released a mere three months after the untimely death of Williams. That inevitably puts a damper on the events. But even taking this event out of the equation, this a movie filled with unlikable characters about whom we caring nothing and a completely abrupt switch in tone from first half to second half that is not believable in the slightest. Imagine if CHRISTMAS VACATION was filled with half a dozen Uncle Eddies - one Eddie can be ridiculously fun, but a movie filled with them is a yuletide nightmare. That's basically what we have here with a couple exceptions. I always thought McHale had the makings for a successful big screen light comedian, and if anything works in this movie it is him, for the most part. He does his best to hold the shards of this story together but eventually gets lost in the tidal wave of mediocrity like everyone else. Unfortunately, Williams is pretty unbearable here - his attempts at mean-spirited comedy fall flat, and his 180 degree turn-around brings out his mawkish PATCH ADAMS side that is almost unwatchable. A recurring scuzzy-looking Santa who drinks bourbon and may or may not be the real deal is totally unnecessary and negates any possiblity of this becoming a realistic familiy comedy. A cast this strong will obviously have a couple good moments here and there, but they deserve better - so do we.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/08/24

Full Review

John A

It has that exterior implying some kind of irreverence and ruckus that would make for some kind of effective comedy. Robin Williams (in one of his final roles) is truly shooting blanks along with his co stars. Friggin' Christmas is neither funny or moving in the slightest.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/24/23

Full Review

Cody L

I thought this movie was much better than the rating indicates. Great cast.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/18/23

Full Review

patrick f

Certainly not a Christmas classic, but a funny enough film. The story is sort of all over the place. The overly dysfunctional family detracted from the heart of the story which is Boyd's relationship with his Father. We should have gotten more of Robin Williams with Joel McHale. All in all the movie have a consistent amount of laughs.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Bucks RC World

0 substance, its meh at best!!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/06/23

Full Review

Audience Member

meh; it's not terrible. there's a few funny quips, but overall it's just a guy mad at his dad the whole entire time. it got to be exhausting.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

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Tristram Shapeero

Director

Joel McHale

Boyd Mitchler

Robin Williams

Mitch

Lauren Graham

Luann Mitchler

Clark Duke

Nelson

Oliver Platt

Hobo Santa

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Video: Joel McHale and Lauren Graham Play a Friggin’ Game

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Jason Clark

Entertainment Weekly

Squanders a cast of actors usually able to elevate weak material.

Rated: D+

Nov 13, 2014

Full Review

Rafer Guzman

Newsday

A slipshod comedy with Williams in default mode as a lovable grouch. A waste of a once-brilliant star.

Rated: 1/4

Nov 13, 2014

Full Review

Elizabeth Weitzman

New York Daily News

The actors all commit, but it's frustrating to see how little material they're given.

Rated: 1/5

Nov 13, 2014

Full Review

Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

A Merry Friggin' Christmas is just too F'in lazy and milquetoast to register as more than mere background noise.

Rated: 2/5

Sep 12, 2019

Full Review

Andrew Daley

One Room With A View

Time-worn jokes and Christmas cliches inhibit any form of innovation, resulting in a film of all round mediocrity.

Rated: 2/5

May 17, 2019

Full Review

Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

Robin Williams shuffles around looking angry and depressed - more so than the script would justify.

Rated: C-

Jul 14, 2015

Full Review

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Synopsis

Boyd is forced to spend Christmas at his parents' house and has to hit the road with his eccentric father to get his son's Christmas gifts before morning.

Director: Tristram Shapeero
Executive Producer: Michael Flynn, Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Screenwriter: Phil Johnston
Distributor: Sycamore Pictures
Production Co: Sycamore Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Crude Humor Throughout)
Genre: Holiday, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 7, 2014, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 24, 2016

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