‘Kranks’ will make you say ‘humbug’

Fri., Nov. 26, 2004

Chris Hewitt St. Paul Pioneer Press

How far will “Christmas With the Kranks” go to make you cry? Well, there’s a character with cancer, and the only reason she’s in the movie is to teach the protagonist – and you – a valuable life lesson.

The movie doesn’t give a rip about this semi-anonymous woman or her cancer, but she’s useful because she’s the final clue in Luther Krank’s (Tim Allen) treasure hunt for selflessness.

Krank and his wife (Jamie Lee Curtis, whose version of being overly perky comes off more like overly medicated) are empty-nesters who opt to skip Christmas and go on a cruise instead. Cancer Lady No. 1 and the other residents of their competitively festive block are annoyed.

There is much breakage and pratfallage. Laughs do not ensue.

“Christmas With the Kranks” is a USA network-quality script, cobbled together from parts of “Home Alone,” “The Grinch” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (it’s based on John Grisham’s “Skipping Christmas,” but the title was wisely changed to avoid confusion with the even more worthless “Surviving Christmas”).

The movie attempts to disguise its lack of originality with a better-than-USA cast, but that’s not going to fool you.

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