Film Snail

5.8

Fred Claus

PG·2007·115m

Action

Comedy

Drama

Action

Comedy

Drama

Summary

Fred Claus and Santa Claus have been estranged brothers for many years. Now Fred must reconcile his differences with his brother whom he believes overshadows him. When an efficiency expert assesses the workings at the North Pole and threatens to shut Santa down, Fred must help his brother to save Christmas.

Cast

Vince Vaughn

Fred Claus

Paul Giamatti

Nick (Santa) Claus

John Michael Higgins

Willie

Miranda Richardson

Annette Claus

Rachel Weisz

Wanda Blinkowski

Kathy Bates

Mother Claus

Trevor Peacock

Papa Claus

Ludacris

DJ Donnie

Elizabeth Banks

Charlene

Jeremy Swift

Bob Elf

Elizabeth Berrington

Linda Elf

Kevin Spacey

Clyde Archibald Northcutt

Rio Hackford

Leon

Bobb'e J. Thompson

Samuel 'Slam' Gibbons

Allan Corduner

Dr. Goldfarb

Jordon Hull

Young Fred - 6 Yrs Old

Liam James

Young Fred - 12 Yrs Old

Theo Stevenson

Young Nick - 6 Yrs Old

Allison Sparrow

Girl with Plasma TV

Fred Zimmerman

Caroler

Danny McCarthy

Salvation Army Santa

Keith Kupferer

Salvation Army Santa

Craig J. Harris

Jermaine Santa

Peter McCabe

Scary Thug

Jonathan Cullen

Guard

Wesley Chu

Bonsai Chef

Claudia Michelle Wallace

Child Services Agent

Guy Massey

Child Services Agent

Gabriel Pimentel

Head Secret Service Elf

Hassan Chikhaoui

Secret Service Elf

Vitalie Babara

Secret Service Elf

Morgane Monjauze

Molly Gordon

Justin Butler

Timmy Jackson

Angela Curran

Old Woman Elf

Celia Henebury

Girl Elf

Justin McEwen

Orphanage Kid

Tyler Kelley

Orphanage Kid

Dylan Minnette

Orphanage Kid

Anne White

Midwife

Patrick Zielinski

Cab Driver

William Dick

Group Leader

Frank Stallone Jr.

Frank Stallone

Roger Clinton, Jr.

Roger Clinton

Stephen Baldwin

Jean-Yves Tual

Mission Control Elf

Jorge Rodero

Willie's Movements

Michael Mbhele

DJ Donnie's Movements

Burn Gorman

Elf

Orlando Seale

Elf

Charlie Condou

Elf

Melody Hollis

Timmy Jackson's Sister

Mike Bacarella

Wanda's Neighbor

Bert Matias

Eskimo

Rusty Goffe

Elf / Frosty the Barman

Peter Bonner

Bonner Elf

Tamara Aranovskaya

Elf

Natalia Avraimova

Elf

Irina Cheplyshkina

Elf

Shamil Galeev

Elf

Afiya Izmailova

Elf

Anton Khardarkevich

Elf

Zinaida Khardarkevich

Elf

Viktor Kharur

Elf

Zinaida Kharuk

Elf

Tatyana Kutaleva

Elf

Tatiana Lakhmytkina

Elf

Valentina Lipen

Elf

Vano Miranyan

Elf

Nadezda Miranova

Elf

Tatyana Moskalenko

Elf

Andriy Nagiyen

Elf

Firaya Nutfullina

Elf

Alexander Pavlov

Elf

Tatiana Pavlova

Elf

Antanina Satsura

Elf

Nadiia Shchava

Elf

Svetlana Shishkevich

Elf

Galina Shurygina

Elf

Irina Skripnichenko

Elf

Nina Sorokoletova

Elf

Victor Sovpenets

Elf

Veronika Starostina

Elf

Inna Sushkova

Elf

Mykola Yevdokymov

Elf

Aleksey Zalatin

Elf

Don Goodman

Money Donor

Ramona Giambalvo

Money Donor

Christ Kopoulos

Money Donor

Jeannette Francis

Money Donor

Patrick Morris

Money Donor

Douglas Colber

Singer

Debra Congram

Singer

Deanna Edgerson

Singer

Robert H. Frenier

Singer

Johanna K. Hauki

Singer

Beth Kondrat

Singer

Erich K. Kurschat

Singer

Anthony D. Potempa

Singer

Paul E. Reineck

Singer

Julie Simms

Singer

Tracy M. Snell

Sla'ms Adoptive Mother

Antinko Zanjelo Waddell

Sla'ms Adoptive Father

Kiara Allyce Greene

Sla'ms Adoptive Sister

Ethan Cutkosky

Carl (uncredited)

Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Older Man Getting Parking Ticket (uncredited)

Jason Abustan

Upscale Shopper (uncredited)

Tommy Bartlett

Upscale Shopper (uncredited)

Suzy Brack

Shopper (uncredited)

Megan Renee Burgess

Shopper (uncredited)

Leo McHugh Carroll

Giggling Boy (uncredited)

Evyenia Constantine

Shopper (uncredited)

Michael Cook

Upscale Shopper (uncredited)

Rock De Augustine

Upscale Michigan Avenue Shopper (uncredited)

Jay Disney

Businessman (uncredited)

Nick Doetsch

Celebrity Sibling (uncredited)

Ian Houghton

Clyde Northcutt (uncredited)

Thomas Kosik

Christmas Shopper (uncredited)

Tim Krueger

Christmas Shopper (uncredited)

Rob Lok

Knife Juggler (uncredited)

Chad Meyer

Chicagoan (uncredited)

Isabella Murad

Kid in Toy Store (uncredited)

William Nero Jr.

Child in Line (uncredited)

Ernest Pierce

Stockbroker (uncredited)

Kevin Pitcairn

Navy Officer (uncredited)

Christopher Popio

Cab Driver (uncredited)

Amit Shah

Starbucks Customer (uncredited)

Michelle Shields

Mall Shopper (uncredited)

Ashland Thomas

Pizza Restaurant Patron (uncredited)

Giota Trakas

Upscale Shopper (uncredited)

Joshua Zumhagen

Shopper (uncredited)

Crew

Director

David Dobkin

Screenplay, Story

Dan Fogelman

Story

Jessie Nelson

Reviews

John Chard

December 28, 2014

Fred Claus (2007)

Saving Christmas and Building Bridges.

It does exactly what it says on the Xmas Movie Tin. Poorly received by the critics and equally unsupported by the internet hordes, Fred Claus may be guilty of sentimentality, but for those in need of a pick me up during yuletide then it delivers the requisite smiles to faces.

Vince Vaughn is Fred, brother of Santa (Paul Giamatti), who has grown up resenting his elder brother. When Fred is in desperate need of cash he gets in touch with Santa to ask for a big loan, Santa will oblige if Fred comes up to the North Pole to work for it. Anger, mirth and bonding does follow as Fred causes mayhem among the elves and finds himself pitched in the middle of a nefarious plan being hatched by Clyde Archibald Northcutt (Kevin Spacey).

Not all the gags work but there are some genuinely funny moments, while the romantic threads are a touch too twee. Yet this wears its Xmas movie heart firmly on its red clothed sleeve, and there's nothing wrong with that. 7/10