National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Rent & Buy
It's Christmastime, and the Griswolds are preparing for a family seasonal celebration. But things never run smoothly for Clark, his wife Ellen, and their two kids. Clark's continual bad luck is worsened by his obnoxious family guests, but he manages to keep going, knowing that his Christmas bonus is due soon.
What critics thought
DivisiveCritics at the time were split, with professional reviewers finding it undisciplined and jokes that seemed to build without paying off, while audiences embraced it warmly. The gap between critical indifference and lasting popular love is the real story here — what landed as a middling holiday comedy in 1989 has since become a genuine seasonal institution for many viewers.
“The movie is curious in how close it comes to delivering on its material: Sequence after sequence seems to contain all the necessary material, to be well on the way toward a payoff, and then it somehow doesn't work.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“Solid family fare with plenty of yucks, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is Chevy Chase and brood doing what they do best.”
Variety
“it will prove pater-familiar to fans of the 1983 original and the European Vacation sequel. Only it's a bit more whimsical.”
Rita Kempley·The Washington Post
Genres
Comedy
Cast & Crew
Jeremiah S. ChechikDirector
Chevy ChaseClark Griswold
Beverly D'AngeloEllen Griswold
Juliette LewisAudrey Griswold
Johnny GaleckiRusty Griswold
John RandolphClark Griswold Sr.
Diane LaddNora
E.G. MarshallArt
Doris RobertsFrancis
Julia Louis-DreyfusMargo Chester
Randy QuaidCousin Eddie
Miriam FlynnCousin Catherine
Mae QuestelAunt Bethany
Angelo BadalamentiComposer
John HughesWriter
Thomas E. AckermanCinematographyNational Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
It's Christmastime, and the Griswolds are preparing for a family seasonal celebration. But things never run smoothly for Clark, his wife Ellen, and their two kids. Clark's continual bad luck is worsened by his obnoxious family guests, but he manages to keep going, knowing that his Christmas bonus is due soon.
What critics thought
DivisiveCritics at the time were split, with professional reviewers finding it undisciplined and jokes that seemed to build without paying off, while audiences embraced it warmly. The gap between critical indifference and lasting popular love is the real story here — what landed as a middling holiday comedy in 1989 has since become a genuine seasonal institution for many viewers.
“The movie is curious in how close it comes to delivering on its material: Sequence after sequence seems to contain all the necessary material, to be well on the way toward a payoff, and then it somehow doesn't work.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“Solid family fare with plenty of yucks, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is Chevy Chase and brood doing what they do best.”
Variety
“it will prove pater-familiar to fans of the 1983 original and the European Vacation sequel. Only it's a bit more whimsical.”
Rita Kempley·The Washington Post
Genres
Comedy
Cast & Crew
Jeremiah S. ChechikDirectorChevy ChaseClark GriswoldBeverly D'AngeloEllen GriswoldJuliette LewisAudrey GriswoldJohnny GaleckiRusty GriswoldJohn RandolphClark Griswold Sr.Diane LaddNoraE.G. MarshallArtDoris RobertsFrancisJulia Louis-DreyfusMargo ChesterRandy QuaidCousin EddieMiriam FlynnCousin CatherineMae QuestelAunt BethanyAngelo BadalamentiComposerJohn HughesWriterThomas E. AckermanCinematographyRent & Buy