| Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 18, 2011

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

| Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 30, 2007

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

| Original Score: 1/5 | Nov 30, 2007

An archly mirthless comedy.

| Nov 30, 2007

Fred Claus is in the grand tradition of a certain type of Yuletide farce - one that's about as funny as a crushed bauble in your egg nog.

| Nov 30, 2007

The spirit of Scrooge surges strong within me having watched this chillingly cynical and unfunny Christmas movie.

| Original Score: 1/5 | Nov 30, 2007

Dobkin's film is lit up by a couple of genius scenes: first, a siblings support-group attended by Frank Stallone, Stephen Baldwin and Roger Clinton; second, a superb in-joke triggering Spacey's redemptive thaw-out, stoking a festive glow against the odds.

| Original Score: 3/6 | Nov 29, 2007

It creates a seasonal glow, but inconsistencies keep Fred Claus off the 'Nice' list this Christmas.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 28, 2007

What seems like fertile comedy territory turns out to be as barren as the North Pole.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 27, 2007

The movie is less ho-ho-ho than uh-oh, or oh-no.

| Nov 12, 2007

There are some scattered big laughs and a sweet message here, so I'm giving it a mild recommendation.

Full Review | Nov 12, 2007

As derivative and predictable as any of the holiday comedies of the past few years, providing audiences with at best a handful of laughs. Most of it is uninspired.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Nov 9, 2007

It senselessly dims an idea that should shine as brightly as Rudolph's nose.

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Nov 9, 2007

Vaughn gets plenty of mileage exploring both the painful and fun sides of Fred.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Nov 9, 2007

A complete bust, derivative and uninspired, boring and dull, not funny, not moving and about a half hour too long.

| Original Score: 1/4 | Nov 9, 2007

Fred Claus turns out to be not bad for a Santa movie, which I suppose could be interpreted as either faint or excessive praise, depending on your view.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Nov 9, 2007

Unable to sustain its one-note premise, the story foolishly revels in the mythology of Christmas to mask comedic vapidity. The trick doesn't work.

Full Review | Nov 9, 2007

There is more plot in the average Geico commercial, so the movie pads itself with detours into sketch ideas that don't develop past the basic concept.

| Original Score: 0.5/4 | Nov 9, 2007

About as funny as a sack of coal.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Nov 9, 2007

A pleasant little seasonal gift.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Nov 9, 2007