CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS

Year: 2004
USA: Columbia Pictures
UK: Columbia TriStar Films (UK)
Cast: Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd, Erik Per Sullivan, Cheech Marin, Jake Busey, M Emmet Walsh, Kevin Chamberlain, Elizabeth Franz, Rene Lavan, Austin Pendleton, Caroline Rhea, Patrick Breen, Felicity Huffman, Arden Myrin, Julie Gonzalo
Director: Joe Roth
Country: USA
UK: 99 mins
USA Rated: PG for brief language and suggestive content
UK Certificate: PG contains mild language and comic violence
USA Release Date: 24 November 2004
UK Release Date: 3 December 2004


Synopsis

After faithfully and happily celebrating Christmas their entire lives, and with their daughter Blair (Julie Gonzalo) in Peru to serve a stint in the Peace Corps, Luther (Tim Allen) and Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) Krank are facing the prospect of a very lonely holiday.

One blustery Chicago night, Luther glances longingly at an alluring poster in a travel agency window and pictures himself and Nora basking in the glow of the sun on a Caribbean cruise. What if this Christmas there was no tree, no holiday lights, no fruitcakes, no parties, no decorating ... no Christmas?

Though Nora is at first reluctant about going away for the holidays, she soon warms to the idea. But when their neighbors up and down Hemlock Street find out, they are aghast, especially local busybody Vic Frohmeyer (Dan Aykroyd). Among the other injured parties are local police officers Salino (Cheech Marin) and Treen (Jake Busey), as well as Luther's neighborhood sparring partner Walt Scheel (M. Emmet Walsh).

The Kranks are skipping Christmas? Unimaginable. Unthinkable. Unbearable. To make matters worse, Luther refuses to put his illuminated Frosty the Snowman on his rooftop. Every house has a Frosty on its rooftop at Christmas. Hemlock Street is famous for it and has won numerous contests sponsored by the local newspaper for its Yuletide decorations.

The battle of wits between the Kranks and their neighbors quickly escalates, threatening the harmony of the community and, yes, the spirit of Christmas itself.

Then, without warning, Luther and Nora get a phone call from Blair. She's coming home for Christmas after all.

Now the Kranks have less than twenty-four hours to get themselves and all the families on Hemlock Street back in the proper Christmas spirit.

The film is directed by Joe Roth. The screenplay is by Chris Columbus based on the novel Skipping Christmas by John Grisham.