National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is a 1989 holiday classic starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, and Juliette Lewis, which still brings seasonal laughter to households year after year. The movie is directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik and it's the third installment in National Lampoon’s Vacation series.

The film revolves around the Griswold family and their patriarch, bumbling yet well-meaning Clark Griswold, played to comedic perfection by Chevy Chase. Clark Harper Griswold is the well-intentioned everyman who just wants to create the perfect Christmas for his family. He dreams of an old-fashioned family holiday, and this perfect, cheerful, and exceedingly normal vision of Christmas drives the entirety of the film's narrative. He is eager to provide a memorable Christmas to his family by ensuring everything goes strictly according to his plans, but little does he know that the universe seems to have contrasting plans for him.

Then there is Ellen Griswold, (Beverly D'Angelo), Clark's supportive and patient wife, who tolerates his enthusiastic but disastrously clumsy efforts to create an unforgettable holiday season. The duo is completed by their teenage kids, Rusty and Audrey, played by Johnny Galecki and Juliette Lewis respectively. They are typical teenagers, often embarrassed by their parents, but are ultimately loving and involved in their family’s holiday traditions.

As the holidays approach, the Griswolds' home turns into a hub of excitement, chaos, and inadvertent disaster. Clark wants to ensure his house is seen from space and goes overboard decorating the house with an excess of Christmas lights. Despite all the hard work, the results are comically catastrophic. This is just the beginning of many such hilarious incidents. Clark's determination to not let these setbacks overshadow his holiday spirit makes for rib-tickling sequences throughout the movie.

The movie soon introduces a gaggle of hilarious secondary characters who add to the family drama and comedy. Clark’s snooty neighbors, played by Nicholas Guest and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, are always at the receiving end of his clumsy catastrophe, adding a rival edge to Clark's nave endeavors. The sudden and unanticipated visit from the extended family members, most notably, the unexpected visit from the senile but loveable Uncle Lewis (William Hickey) and the oddball Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid), adds another level of humor and chaos to the story.

As Christmas gets closer, Clark eagerly awaits his yearly bonus from his employer with the plan to use this money to build a swimming pool for the family in the summer. It adds an undercurrent of suspense, adding another dimension to the film.

The film is a lovable comedic disaster about the trials and tribulations of family, expectations, and traditions during the holiday season. Its humor is firmly rooted in real-life situations and grounded character interactions that most audiences can identify with. The script by John Hughes integrates slapstick humor and witty dialogue with heart-warming sentimentality characteristic of the holiday season, creating a film that has become a staple of annual Christmas movie marathons.

The charm of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation comes from its relatable narrative about a 'perfect' family holiday that somehow morphs into a series of hilarious disasters, a situation many viewers can relate to. The well-intentioned efforts of Clark Griswold and his unending passion for creating a memorable holiday despite constant obstacles presents a clear and often very funny message about the holiday spirit and the importance of family.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation continues to be a holiday-favorite, making us laugh at the furious chaos of our own holiday habits, while also reminding us of the love and warmth that is at the heart of our most cherished traditions.