2025 Amazon MGM Studios
Rated: PG-13
Length: 1 hr 47min
Christmas ~ Comedy
Directed by: Michael Showalter
Starring: Michelle Pfeiffer, Felicity Jones, Chloë Grace Moretz, Denis Leary, Dominic Sessa, Jason Schwartzman, Eva Longoria, and Joan Chen.
Come For The Presents, Stay For The Baggage!
FROM AMAZON MGM STUDIOS:
Claire Clauster (Michelle Pfeiffer) is the glue that holds her chaotic, lovable family together every holiday season. From perfectly frosted cookies to meticulously wrapped gifts, no one decks the halls quite like Claire. But this year, after planning a special outing for her family, they make a crucial mistake and leave her home alone. Fed up and feeling under appreciated, she sets off on an impromptu adventure of her own. As her family scrambles to find her, Claire discovers the unexpected magic of a Christmas gone off-script.
With a dazzling ensemble cast including Felicity Jones, Chloë Grace Moretz, Denis Leary, Dominic Sessa, Danielle Brooks, Devery Jacobs, Havana Rose Liu, Maude Apatow, Jason Schwartzman, Eva Longoria and Joan Chen, and directed by Michael Showalter, Oh. What. Fun. is a spirited holiday comedy that honors and celebrates every overworked holiday host.
THE MOVIE REVIEW:
Claire Clauster (Michelle Pfeiffer) has a Christmas problem, she feels under-appreciated. Year after year she goes all out, decorating, baking, shopping, planning, cooking, wrapping presents, getting the entire extended family together and keeping them happy and festive. Her husband Nick doesn’t help as much as she would like, but then he is a guy. There is a Best Holiday Mom Contest being held by her favorite TV Talk show hosted by Zazzy Tims. Claire would love nothing more than to be nominated by her children but they are so busy with their lives they forget to nominate her.
As Christmas Eve approaches there are festive fiascos around the house as the family piles in one after another, bringing their own personal dramas with them. Claire also has a long running animosity with the neighbor family next door, the two Mom’s always trying to one up each other during the holidays. The Final straw for Claire comes when the whole family is getting ready to go to a Christmas show in the city. As they are piling into different cars in the rush to go, Claire pops over to her rival neighbor to give her a homemade Christmas goodie bag. With the family all thinking that she is in one of the other cars, they leave Mom Claire behind.
When Claire realizes that her family has left her behind, it was the last straw. She packs a few things as well as some Christmas snacks and heads off in her car. She’s had enough, she is leaving the family. Depressed, frustrated and under-appreciated she hits the road not knowing where she is going. And that’s where the rest of this Festive fiasco takes us, following Claire’s new forlorn, underappreciated Christmas alone and her family’s stark realization that Claire has had enough, packed her bag and hit the road.
As I watched, I couldn’t help but think of Christmas Vacation. I don’t know if it was intentionally paying homage to, or trying to duplicate some of the humorous holiday scenes we all know and love in Christmas Vacation. It was no where near as funny as the classic Christmas Vacation. I feel like it was trying too hard. The names of the characters were a little out there, Eva Langoria as Zazzy Tims? Chloë Grace Moritz brought her girlfriend DJ Sweatpants? Claire’s arch nemesis neighbor Jeanne Wang-Wasserman? Sammy’s girlfriend is named Mae-Bell?
It was alright, a little campy and not as funny as I think they wanted it to be. I think if you are a guy, you are not gonna get it nor like it. If you are a gal, Mom or Grandmother, I think you are going to be right on top of the bandwagon. This Christmas Catastrophe is made for women about women being under-appreciated at the holidays.
There you go!
OH. WHAT. FUN.
© Amazon Content Services LLC
© Amazon Content Services LLC
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