Fred Claus

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2:23

Fred Claus

PG

2007

1h 56m

Holiday

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

20%

Tomatometer

141 Reviews

45%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Of the two Claus brothers, Fred is the troublemaker and polar opposite of his saintly sibling, Nicholas. When Fred's criminal ways finally land him in 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 must not only 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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Charlotte O'Sullivan

London Evening Standard

11/30/2007

2/5

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

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Anthony Quinn

Independent (UK)

11/30/2007

1/5

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

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Nigel Andrews

Financial Times

11/30/2007

An archly mirthless comedy.

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Cory Woodroof

615 Film

01/15/2023

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.

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

09/08/2020

2.5/4.0

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

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Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

11/16/2018

1/5

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

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jessica

12/16/2023

Absolutely the best Christmas movie. Better than ELF.

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Blake- N

@PBSAniDom May 4

Fred Claus has its share of genuinely funny moments, largely carried by its comedic energy and cast chemistry. There’s a light, playful tone that works well in short bursts, and some scenes do land with solid humor. That said, the plot feels surprisingly thin and somewhat directionless, never fully justifying its premise. It often seems like the story is just moving from one gag to the next without a strong sense of purpose. Even the title ends up feeling more memorable than the actual narrative. While it’s easy enough to watch and has a few laughs, it doesn’t leave much of a lasting impression. For me, it’s a mixed bag—funny at times, but ultimately pretty forgettable. I’d rate it a 5/10.

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Garett T

@garett805 Jan 21

One of our favorite Christmas movies. We put it on at least once a year.

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Craig P

@RT88644805 Dec 28

Cmon it’s ridiculous and funny. Great cast and just a holiday staple 🎄

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Ella P

@Apark Dec 26

We watch this every year. We love it.

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R T

@Gmoo4 Dec 23

Best Christmas film there is. Don’t get the hate at all. Funny, great cast, good story. Watch it most years!

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David Dobkin

Director

Vince Vaughn

Fred Claus

Paul Giamatti

Nicholas

Miranda Richardson

Annette Claus

John Michael Higgins

Willie

Rachel Weisz

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Fred Claus: Trailer 1

2:23

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Synopsis

Of the two Claus brothers, Fred is the troublemaker and polar opposite of his saintly sibling, Nicholas. When Fred's criminal ways finally land him in 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 must not only 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)