It’s that time of year again! The time when families gather around the TV to watch some classic holiday movies. One of my all-time favorites is “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” This movie is a hilarious and heartwarming look at the Griswold family’s attempt to have the perfect Christmas. It’s also a movie that I can watch over and over again and never get tired of.
Review by Ben Dover
Rating: 4.5/5 Martinis (I’m still drinking, but this time it’s to celebrate)
Look, I’ve seen enough Christmas movies to make Santa himself go into early retirement, but “Christmas Vacation” is the rare holiday film that actually gets it right. It’s like finding out your mother-in-law’s not coming for Christmas dinner – a genuine miracle.
Chevy Chase is hilarious as Clark W. Griswold, the world’s most determined family man since Ward Cleaver, but with none of the common sense. Chase, who’s usually about as subtle as a kick to the chestnuts, perfectly captures the manic desperation of a man trying to create the perfect family Christmas. It’s like watching my neighbor Steve try to outdo everyone’s Christmas lights display, but funnier and with less chance of a power grid failure. Beverly D’Angelo is also great as Clark’s wife, Ellen who deserves sainthood for putting up with his shenanigans. She’s always the voice of reason in a movie that has about as much reason as a caffeinated squirrel. Speaking of squirrels, that Christmas tree scene still makes me laugh harder than watching my neighbor Steve fall off his roof while hanging lights last year.
The genius of this movie is that it knows exactly what Christmas with family is really like. You’ve got Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) showing up unannounced in his RV, emptying his chemical toilet into the storm drain – which is exactly what the holidays feel like sometimes. And before you ask, yes, I have a Cousin Eddie in my family. We all do. If you think you don’t, you ARE the Cousin Eddie.
The supporting cast is perfect, from the snooty neighbors (who remind me of the jerks who keep complaining about my lawn) to the ancient aunt who wraps up her cat as a present. Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays one of the neighbors, years before she’d go on to “Seinfeld” and make way more money than I’ll ever see in my lifetime.
What makes this movie work is that it captures everything horrible about Christmas – the family tensions, the pressure to create perfect memories, the impossible expectations – and makes you laugh at all of it. When Clark finally loses it and goes on his bonus rant, I stood up and applauded in the theater back in ’89. My wife still hasn’t forgiven me for spilling my popcorn on the lady in front of us.
The slapstick is actually funny (unlike today’s movies where people just get hit in the groin for 90 minutes), the one-liners are quotable (“Sister, when you’re going to put on your robe?” still kills me), and the sentiment, when it comes, feels earned instead of shoved down your throat like that fruitcake nobody wants.
Sure, there are some parts that wouldn’t fly today. Cousin Eddie alone would trigger more Twitter outrage than a politician at a duck hunting contest. But that’s part of its charm. It’s like that ugly Christmas sweater your aunt gave you – inappropriate, but somehow perfect.
Bottom Line: This is the Christmas movie for people who hate Christmas movies. It’s like looking into a mirror of your own holiday disasters, but funnier and with less property damage. Watch it with your family, especially the ones you want to strangle with tinsel. You’ll feel better knowing the Griswolds have it worse. Overall, I highly recommend “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” It’s a hilarious and heartwarming film that is perfect for the holiday season.
Now excuse me while I go outside and make sure my own Christmas lights aren’t attracting aircraft.
Ben “Get Off My Lawn” Dover still holds the record for longest continuous string of Christmas light-related profanity in Connecticut (1992). His wife reports he watches this movie every year while muttering “That’s exactly what happened to me” under his breath.
Cast
- Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold
- Beverly D’Angelo as Ellen Griswold
- Randy Quaid as Cousin Eddie
- Juliette Lewis as Audrey Griswold
- Johnny Galecki as Rusty Griswold
- John Candy as Uncle Buck
- Brian Doyle-Murray as Todd Griswold
- Diane Ladd as Aunt Bethany
- Doris Roberts as Aunt Norma
- Ian Roberts as Cousin Bill
- Julianne Roberts as Cousin Cathy
- Alex Morris as Cousin Billy
- Oksana Grigorieva as Cousin Olga
- Catherine O’Hara as Mrs. Stone
- Paul Gleason as Mr. Shirley
Best Special Effects
- The scene where Clark electrocutes himself
- The scene where the Griswold family’s Christmas lights go haywire
- The scene where Cousin Eddie’s RV breaks down
Music
- “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams
- “Jingle Bells” by James Lord Pierpont
- “Silent Night” by Franz Gruber
- “O Come, All Ye Faithful” by John Francis Wade
- “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” by Thomas Riley
Memorable Quote: “When Santa squeezes his fat white ass down that chimney tonight, he’s gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse.” – Clark Griswold, speaking for frustrated dads everywhere.
6 More Famous Quotes from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”
- “Cousin Eddie, you’re such a slob!” – Clark Griswold
- “I’m gonna get that turkey!” – Clark Griswold
- “Shiner! Shiner! Shiner!” – Cousin Eddie
- “I’m not a bad guy. I just do bad things.” – Clark Griswold
- “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!” – Clark Griswold
- “Merry Christmas… Kiss my ass.” – Clark Griswold
5 Interesting Facts about “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”
- The film was originally going to be called “National Lampoon’s Christmas Blues.”
- The film was shot on a budget of $27 million. (Probably less than what Clark’s electric bill would have been in real life.
- The film was a box office success, grossing over $171 million worldwide.
- The film was nominated for a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Comedic Movie.
- The film is now a cult classic and is enjoyed by millions of people every year.
Review Notes:
I love the cute cartoon opening
Chevy is really kind of a old fashioned misogynist jerk here, ogling tits like he has never seen a pair and jeez his wife has the best pair in the business.
Now THIS movie is basically slapstick!
Randy Quaid is amazing in this.
Bad green screen in the sledscene
Trailer