National Lampoon's: Christmas Vacation

Rating: 4.5/5

National Lampoon's: Christmas Vacation is a holiday film for the slightly more adult audience and is a comical addition to the Christmas season.

Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) wants nothing more than to have a good old fashioned, big family Christmas. To kick off the season, he, his wife, and their two children go out to get their Christmas tree. When they return home, they have to prepare the house for both sets of in-laws to visit for Christmas.

Once Clark's and Ellen's (Beverly D'Angelo) parents have arrived, the hopes for a loving and cheerful family Christmas start to slip away. When Clark's cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) unexpectedly shows up in an RV with his family, even more chaos ensues, and the Griswold Family Christmas appears to be doomed.

What sets Christmas Vacation apart from other comedies, is its' ability to contain silly slapstick humor, but not have it come off as stupid or overly immature. By spacing out the comedy, the film doesn't feel too condensed or obnoxious. It gives the audience a chance to appreciate and process the humor, instead of being hit over the head with joke after joke.

It is the comedic timing of both Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo that really sell the funny moments in the film. It's not even the specific lines that they say, but the way in which they are said, that make their roles so hilarious and memorable. Chase's character is so desperate to have the perfect Christmas, that he will stop at nothing to keep his dream alive. Chase brings the perfect amount of desperation and believability to his role, even if it is a bit far fetched. D'Angelo is the moral backbone for her husband, and her moments of comedy are based around reacting to Clark's crazed decisions. Even if she doesn't say a line, D'Angelo's facial expressions are just as funny as any comedic delivery given by Chase.

A great comedy portrays moments and concepts that we experience every day, but kicks it up a notch. They are able to make their plot humorous by having it be relatable to their viewers. Even if the story and characters are wackier than what you would find in real life, Christmas Vacation still brings the essence of family at Christmastime. This film is a great example of what makes an excellent comedy. Most audiences will be able to connect with the stress of trying to make a perfect family event, but be able to relax in knowing that, at least their family isn't nearly as crazy as the Griswolds.

Christmas Vacation is one of the handful of holiday films that doesn't center on falling in love, shopping, or Santa. Don't get me wrong, I love a good Christmas movie involving the magic of the season, but it's nice to add some variety into the mix. This film has been a staple in my yearly holiday viewings for many years, and that will never change. No matter how many times I watch it, I will always find Christmas Vacation to be a humorous and entertaining movie for the season.