Based on the John Grisham novel "Skipping Christmas", the movie is a comical drama that deals with a family in Chicago. Luther (Tim Allen) and Nora Kranks (Jamie Lee Curtis) are middle aged couple living in a family friendly neighborhood, in the Chicago suburb of Riverside. Just like many other Christians the Kranks also celebrate Christmas every year. This year their daughter Blair (Julie Gonzalo) is in Peru serving the Peace Corps, Luther talks Nora into "Skip Christmas" so that they can save some money and go on a Caribbean cruise.

Nora also thinks that it is a very good idea. But their neighbor Vic Frohmeyer (Dan Aykroyd) is totally unhappy about the Kranks plan to skip the holidays because Christmas in Riverside is a community affair. He decides to go to extreme lengths to preserve their traditional spirit of Christmas. Then Blair decide to come home for the holidays with her fiancée at the last minute, and the Kranks turn to their neighbours to recreate Christmas. Everyone pitches in to help decorate in a hurry.

Director Joe Roth has tried to make a funny movie with a holiday spirit. He portrays Tim Allen as a selfish man and Jamie Lee Curtis as a childish woman. Movie has some bullying as well as bigotry. But in the end he pictures Christmas as a joyous holiday filled with great time and good cheer. Veteran actor, Tim Allen, is familiar with Christmas movies. His two Santa Clause films were very funny. But this film does not utilize his great talent. Jamie Lee Curtis is also a big disappointment. As a whole it is a moderately amusing funny film taken with bad taste. 

We rate this movie Average.