Robin Williams (Mitch Mitchler) is a loud killjoy at least in regards to his family in the comedy “A Merry Friggin’ Christmas,” the film’s a mix of elements from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” and “Bad Santa” is amusing.
Williams plays a raging dad who consistently ruined Christmas for his son, who grows up to be a wealthy hedge fund manager played by Joel McHale. Obsessed with making Christmas as perfect as possible for his own family in Chicago, the son is instead forced to drive home to Wisconsin when his younger brother, Nelson (Clark Duke), calls him up to invite Boyd (Joel McHale) and family to his son’s Christmas Eve baptism, fate plays its hand and it turns into Christmas with drunk ‘n’ rude Grandpa Mitch and the long-suffering Grandma Donna (Candice Bergen). It’s not perfect, but it’s family. Things are already rocky but only get worst when they discover that he left the presents back at his own house. Naturally, father and son wind up driving back to Chicago together overnight, each learning much more about the other than he ever knew.
Director Tristram Shapeero has worked with McHale on “Community,” and the film’s surly humor and oddball characters like a magical hobo Santa played by Oliver Platt make the film overly hilarious. Donna, Mitch’s wife she plays along well with her husband’s antics and rough humor. Lauren Graham’s Luann spends what little screen time she has with Donna. Wendi and Tim character’s who are rarely seen become the punching bag of Robin’s sexual innuendos. Nelson the youngest sibling who is a war vet, discharged following a head injury, suffers from sleepwalking he provides some of the less graphic comedic moments. With out spoiling much of the fun and the inside jokes, welcome to One Man’s Family… A mess of Midwestern stereotypes about working class hicks who drink too much beer and watch too much TV.
I just recently found this movie had no idea it was one of Robin Williams final films before his tragic death, the reviews were less than hopeful but I enjoyed it. Robin will always be missed.
RATING PG-13 (for language and crude humor throughout)
Thanks to Robin Williams the PG-13 rating is nearly stretched to it limits here, so I would recommend watching this one on VidAngel.
I GIVE IT AN B-
