National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
A relentlessly well-meaning father turns his dream of a perfect family Christmas into an escalating suburban catastrophe.
Overview
A suburban father's quest for the perfect family holiday spirals into a chaotic disaster of uninvited relatives and mechanical failures.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- irreverent
- witty
- chaotic
- christmas viewing
- family movie night
What critics said
Critics generally found the comedy undisciplined but effective enough as a seasonal crowd-pleaser, with strong holiday cheer and recurring laughs.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Clark Griswold's efforts to create a perfect old-fashioned Christmas repeatedly intensify into household chaos involving guests, decorations, animals, and neighbors.
The Christmas tree, family dinner, bonus expectations, and traditional celebration are all pushed beyond ordinary limits.
Clark continually expands his plans for an ideal Christmas despite repeated bad luck and resistance from his family and guests.
The Griswold home becomes a comic stage for oversized decorations, family congestion, neighborhood friction, and escalating domestic mishaps.
Films like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and why
A Christmas Story
Shared holiday comedy, domestic chaos, escalating family misunderstandings, and warm seasonal sentiment.
The Family Stone
Shared family-centered Christmas setting, comic misfortune, irreverent humor, and dysfunctional seasonal traditions.
Parenthood
Shared broad suburban comedy, escalating household disasters, and an overextended protagonist pursuing an idealized family experience.
Movie Details
- Director
- Jeremiah S. Chechik
- Release Date
- 1989-11-30
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (2808)
Cast
- Chevy Chase
- Beverly D'Angelo
- Juliette Lewis
- Johnny Galecki
- John Randolph
- Diane Ladd
- E.G. Marshall
- Doris Roberts
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus
- Randy Quaid
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation about?
- A relentlessly well-meaning father turns his dream of a perfect family Christmas into an escalating suburban catastrophe.
- What is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation as mild.
- What did critics think of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation?
- Critics generally found the comedy undisciplined but effective enough as a seasonal crowd-pleaser, with strong holiday cheer and recurring laughs.
- Which films are like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation?
- Films with a similar feel include A Christmas Story, The Family Stone, and Parenthood.
- How long is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation?
- National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation runs 97 minutes.
- Where can I watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation?
- In United States, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex.
