When it comes to Christmas movies and Tim Allen, most people think of his role as one of the most iconic movie Santas in the Santa Clause trilogy -- which just turned 30. However, the Home Improvement actor appeared in another holiday movie, Christmas with the Kranks, alongside Jamie Lee Curtis in 2004. That’s probably because it's largely regarded as a terrible Christmas movie, but I don’t think it deserves all the hate it gets.
The holiday flick follows Luther (Allen) and his wife Nora ( Curtis) as they scramble to get their home ready for Christmas after their daughter thwarts their plans to ditch the holiday in favor of a tropical cruise. Despite the talented cast, the movie currently has a 5% score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and 39% from audience scores. Even though the audience score is significantly higher, it’s still one of the lowest-rated Christmas movies of all time.
While I can admit it’s not the best Christmas movie of all time or an annual must-watch holiday flick for me, I did happen to catch it playing on AMC’s Best Christmas Ever line-up as part of the this past weekend. Sure, it’s no Elf, but Kranks does have some great moments that don’t justify the low scores.
The Film Is Full Of Christmas Traditions And Spirit
One of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to Christmas movies is when they don’t actually feel like a holiday movie. That’s definitely not the case with Christmas with the Kranks, as the gift-giving holiday feels like a supporting character.
Luther and Nora happen to live in a neighborhood that is obsessed with Christmas and are expected to partake in every single activity the town has planned. Every house puts up lights and a giant Frosty the snowman, they all buy real trees from the scouts and caroling is a major deal. The festivities always culminate in a Christmas Eve party thrown by the Kranks.
Even though Luther and Nora are dead-set against celebrating this year, the movie is still overflowing with Christmas spirit. And that's thanks to the pushy neighbors and the winter wonderland sets the art department created.
There Are Plenty Of Bizarre Hilarious Moments
Not all Christmas movies have to be funny, but the best ones usually are. Like the greats that came before it, Kranks relies on bizarre and slapstick comedy to make its audience laugh.
The entire hickory ham plot seems bizarre when it’s introduced but, as Nora struggles to secure her daughter’s favorite holiday dinner staple, the comedy truly shines. Of course, it culminates in the ham getting run over in the middle of the street, after Nora trips. While the moment is devastating, it’s also downright hilarious.
There are also plenty of moments where Tim Allen’s comedic tendencies shine. The spray tan scene might not be original, but seeing Luther turn an awful orangey shade is just as hilarious and it gets even better when Nora tries to make him seem less orange by applying her own make-up which only makes things worse. And don’t even get me started on the hilarious scene where Luther steals his neighbor’s Christmas tree since there aren’t any left in town for him to buy.
The Film Provides Solid Commentary On Christmas Culture
Christmas with the Kranks really succeeds at being different from many other holiday movies through its ability to critique how obsessive people can be about Christmas culture. While reviews left on Rotten Tomatoes might have you believing that Luther is a grade-A Grinch, that’s really not the case. He’s really just fed up with how much time and money spent on the holiday.
Early on in the movie, Luther crunches numbers and realizes that going on a tropical cruise costs just as much as what they spend participating in the town’s over-the-top Christmas celebration. The number might seem low in 2024 but, 20 years ago it was an astronomical amount. With this in mind, plus the fact that their only daughter is supposed to be away for the holidays, it makes sense for the older couple to want to scale back their celebration.
Of course, that doesn’t sit well with their Christmas-obsessed neighbors who decide to push, argue, and even attempt to bully the Kranks into submitting to their ideal holiday. While it provides for comedic moments, it also speaks to the massive amount of pressure society puts on families to ensure they have the perfect Christmas and how consumeristic it’s become. The Kranks pass on buying a tree in the film because they’re not going to be home, and instead of that being seen as a good thing, the town criticizes them because you can’t celebrate Christmas without a tree — except, you totally can.
Unfortunately, the Kranks ultimately give in to the whims of their neighbors and their beloved daughter, who surprises them by coming home for the holidays, but that doesn’t downplay the critique that’s at play. And, in the end, it does return to the overall message of most Christmas movies — that the holiday is all about giving.
If you haven’t watched Christmas with the Kranks in a while or have never seen it, I suggest ignoring the horrible reviews and checking it out for yourself before the holiday season ends. You can stream it with a Prime Video subscription or Hulu subscription.
