(25 May 2012)

Forget decking the halls, see what how they deck the house in this one

There are two reasons to see "Deck the Halls," and those two reasons would not be the stars Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick. This 2006 Christmas comedy was apparently inspired by "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," or the episodes of "Home Improvement" where Tim tries to outdo the neighbor's Christmas display, or any other movie or television show that is based on the oxymoronic notion of cut-throat decorating at Christmas time, none of which is enough to warrant seeing this film either, especially if you can get your hands on one of those others instead. But still, there are a couple of reasons to check this movie out nonetheless. Steve Finch (Broderick) is not only the town's eye doctor, he is also Mr. Christmas. However, Buddy Hall (DeVito) has moved in across the street and when he learns that his house cannot be seen from space by an online site that is mapping the Earth, he decides the solution is to deck his house with every Christmas tree light he can get his hands on. Broderick and DeVito can do these roles in their sleep, or at least in low gear, and the script never gives them any reason to rev up their performances. As their respective wives, Kirstin Davis and Kristen Chenoweth, also have little to do until Chenoweth finally gets to sing near the end and serve as a reminder that you just cannot make a living being a singing star on Broadway these days. However, I keep thinking they cast her because she is approximately DeVito's size, setting up the visual humor of their tall blond twin daughters, and not because she is a talented Broadway musicale actress. For that matter, Davis is just spinning her wheels waiting for the "Sex in the City" movie to give her something decent to do. This is not a particularly funny movie, also hindered by the fact that neither of the main characters are the types you want to identify with, especially in from of family members. However, there are two things this movie--whose winter night scenes were primarily shot during the day in summer (see the special features for the explanation)--got right. The first is that the light display is absolutely awesome. I have seen some impressive things on YouTube and the nightly news showing us what some people have come up with for Christmas in years past, but I do not remember anything coming close to the spectacular light show they came up with for this movie. The least you can do is put this on while you are cooking Christmas dinner and actually watch the part when Buddy puts on the light show for the neighbors. The second thing they get right is when Steve and Buddy have pretty much ruined the holiday for their families and they have to do something to get back in good with their wives. At this point I believe that what is required is a grand gesture, and despite their problems previous to that point in the movie, the boys do come up with something that fits the bill. These two things are not quite enough to justify rounding up, since I cannot really name anything else to recommend seeing this film let along actually buying it to own for Christmases yet to come, but that house alone is enough to rent it or catch it on television sometime.

(24 May 2012)

VICKYS REVIEW

This review is from: Deck the Halls (DVD) I thought when i bought this i couldnt wait to see the movie but it wasnt as funny as the comercials were. Even though there were some funny parts i thought it was going to be hillarious with those two in it but it was kind of disapointing.

davideo-2 (15 May 2012)

Beyond abysmal family movie that I have to wonder why I even bothered watching

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning** Sunday Night * Monday Morning This is the part of the review where I provide the plot summary. I'vebecome accustomed to using it to start the review off, to give an ideaof what the film is about and describe it in as detailed a way as Ican. But I really think detail just doesn't describe the plot to Deckthe Halls. It's about as detailed as this: Danny De Vito's characterwants to use tacky Christmas decorations to make his house so bright itcan be seen from space and his neighbour (Matthew Broderick) tries tostop him. Wow. If that sounds like a great plot to you, I'm sure you'lllove Deck the Halls. For more demanding viewers though, it's a bit toothin and whimsical to stand the duration of a movie, even if it isunder an hour and a half. The lead stars, both fading actors whohaven't had a hit for a while, only seem to add to the problems,Broderick apathetic and lazy in his role, while De Vito goes throughthe motions doing his usual loud, obnoxious American act. You mightforce a chuckle here and there but overall your lasting thought will beless a feeling of festive cheer and more an insult that rhymes with thetitle. *

(15 May 2012)

Awful

Its October and Halloween has not passed, yet everyone seems to be getting ready for Christmas. My mother bought this film and i've never watched it, so I picked it up and watched it. Oh my god, what a piece of crap! The story is beyond stupid and the acting was bad. I stopped this film halfway thru and downloaded Frank Sinatra's A Jolly Christmas instead. Avoid this movie if you want to have a Merry Christmas.

Terry Lawson (11 May 2012)

Since this is ostensibly a holiday family picture, things never get so nasty as to be Bad Santa-style outrageous, unless you think a rigged speed-skating competition or a cross-dressing local sheriff is the height of hilarity.

(10 May 2012)

I love Christmas movies!

A little slow in the beginning, but overall I enjoyed it. A good at home movie.

Kristine (06 May 2012)

There could have been a few more laughs

Every year there is a Christmas movie released, and it's always thetypical family friendly flick that gets pretty annoying andpredictable, in fact there really hasn't been any good Christmas moviespast Home Alone and Christmas Vacation. When I saw the trailer to Deckthe Halls, I was so excited, because I'm a fan of Danny and Matthew,they're both great comedic actors and this seemed like a great film forChristmas and how obsessive people are over the holidays.Steve is a family man who is intending to make the holidays brighterfor his depressed kids and over shadowed wife, he is also love by thecommunity. A new family moves in across the street, Buddy and hisfamily are genuinely nice people but rub Steve off the wrong way,especially since Buddy is upset that his house cannot be seen fromouter space and figures that Christmas lights will fix that problem.While all the other family members of both guys are getting alonggreat, the guys end up competing with each other to see who will be theChristmas King of the town.Matthew and Danny who you'd think would be the perfect comedic duoactually didn't spark anything that grabbed me and the jokes werepretty predictable. While this movie was over all a slightdisappointment, actually, I'd say there are a few good little laughsher and there, it is a cute Christmas movie, but like I said, juststick with the classic Christmas comedies.5/10

Mark Collette (05 May 2012)

I'm tired of filmmakers, screenwriters, directors and studios that believe every holiday is its own excuse for making films.

(29 April 2012)

Laugh-out-loud funny!

Don't go looking for brilliant drama and witty Algonquin Roundtable insights into society here. This is a tremendously silly Christmas movie that families will adore. There's a cast of loveable characters behaving badly because of a neighborhood rivalry over Christmas lights. As you can expect, Danny DeVito plays an over-compensating Napoleonic nemesis to Matthew Broderick's mild mannered but pushed-over-the-edge rival.You can probably fill in the rest of the story yourself. However, those expected complications are played out so well by the excellent cast that you can't help but laugh out loud!If you can enjoy entertainment on those simple terms, then this is a Christmas DVD you'll enjoy for years to come.

Dr E The Enforcer (29 April 2012)

Save Your Money

Wait for it to come out on video if you really want to see this clunker. The story was tired and predictable and even though I tried to keep an open mind the movie was just boring.Obviously the studio just needed to get a movie out for the X-Mas season and this was it.

Rick (28 April 2012)

awful

Danny Devito should throw himself down the well.I can't believe the movie was that bad.Matthew Broderic should have made War Games II rather than this piece of junk.Thank GOD it was a matinee and I saved a few bucks.The only problem is I can't get that hour and a half of my life back.

totallysummercrazy (28 April 2012)

Close, but no cigar

If you've got kids about eight and under, this is you movie for theholidays. Otherwise, don't even bother with paying your eight dollarsto see it. Only pay the money if you want a place to take a nap for anhour and a half. The movie isn't funny and the events that happen arenot probable in real life. I mean, the guy wants his house to be seenfrom space! The acting isn't Oscar worthy either. It looks like theseactors are new to the business. Bottom line, I only give it a 3 becauseit had a good message to the movie: to be with your loved ones for theholidays. The other message might be:don't ever see me again! Younger kids would love it because there are plenty of accidents anddancing lights to keep them in the holiday spirit. Not to mention thefact that a few boys wouldn't mind seeing the twins in the movie, whoare actual models in real life.

Ed C (28 April 2012)

Well.... That sucked!

Poor writing, trite story line. No suspension of dis-belief at all! To para-phrase Frank Cross of Scrooged "Well, that sucked.... Now I have to kill you all! Don't bother.

(28 April 2012)

Twins Mystery

I used to love Christmas movies like MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET and/or IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, but as I grow older, I find them old fashioned and predictable. Instead I now like DECK THE HALLS, which tells the story of a man obsessed with tradition, a man whose obsession with tradition threatens to destroy his family. Such a man is Steve Finch, played by Matthew Broderick as an unhealthy shell of a man. He's like a decrepit and deserted old house from whence the tenants have long since fled. Nowhere in his eyes can you see the impudent spirit we loved him for in such vehicles as TORCH SONG TRILOGY or FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF. Was it his long, tortured marriage to fellow teen stay Sarah Jessica Parker that has given Matthew Broderick that sallow, jaundiced countenance?If only Nathaniel Hawthorne was still alive he could have done the world a service by putting the noble ruin of the middle aged Broderick to good use, perhaps remembering his erstwhile glories as a star. With his extensive stage background, and his father's fame too, he probably never envisioned a day when he would have to co-star opposite the tiny terror, Danny De Vito, and that the script would show Steve Finch sinking lower than the lowest depravities conjured up in the mind of Buddy Hall, the car salesman De Vito plays here. My mother used to say, any movie with car salesmen in it has got to be bad, but I wish she were with us today (for many reasons, but among them is the chance to see a five star movie pitting a car salesman against an optometrist). The two girls who plays De Vito's teenage twins do a heckuva job playing twins. Every year since 2006 I watch them more closely, trying to detect the difference between them. Guests have sworn on the Bible that the girls actually are twins, but it's hard to believe that in this day and age of modern photoshop, any filmmaker would cast real twins when disparate ones would do. Think of the ultimate twins movie in which De Vito himself played the twin of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Pam Grady (25 April 2012)

The word 'comedy' only applies loosely; the laughs are strictly sporadic, and not even Danny DeVito's gruff appeal is enough to overcome the soulless cynicism at the heart of this paint-by-numbers exercise.

Jeffrey M. Anderson (24 April 2012)

Broderick and DeVito must be mentally, physically and spiritually exhausted by the sad, tired quality of these lame gags.

(22 April 2012)

NOI WHAT I EXPECTED

I HAVE TO SAY I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS MOVIE. IT WAS AMODERN VERSION OF CHRISTMAS VACATION BUT NO WHERE NEAR AS GOOD.IT HAS ITS FUNNY PARTS BUT I THINK THIS IS A RENTAL AND NOT A BUY.

(22 April 2012)

LOVE THIS CHRISTMAS MOVIE!

This review is from: Deck the Halls (DVD) There are not too many really funny and well made Christmas movies other than Chevy Chase and Jingle all the Way...but this one is really up there with those. It's fun. Gets you into the Holiday spirit! Love it.

(21 April 2012)

I walked out smiling!

I almost didn't take my 9 year old because of all the negativecomments, but I have to say that I walked out smiling and humming aChristmas tune. I thought it was a nice movie. Is it predicable? Yes,but so was Miracle on 34th street... Can't something just be enjoyedand not torn apart just because the message is a simple one - to benice to one another and try to help out? I liked it! It actually has anumber of messages: That people who are different can still be friends(i.e. the two wives). That kids can learn from each other (i.e. thedaughters) and that the husbands can learn that life isn't just aboutcompetition, but about family and friends.

Smooter (20 April 2012)

An underrated movie...

I've watched this film many times now and as a bit of Christmasentertainment it's very underrated in my opinion. The film is not laughout loud funny, no, and it's not as good as National Lampoons XmasVacation. But treat it for what it is, undemanding Xmas fun and it'senjoyable enough. The acting is way above US Xmas TV Movie hellstandard, it's certainly one I roll out once or twice each Christmas torelieve the boredom of the rubbish that's on the TV! If your lookingfor films of greater critical acclaim for Xmas though, I'd try AChristmas Carol (the Alistair Sims version is best rated) or It's aWonderful Life.