History Film / FredClaus

* EvilDebtCollector: Not only averted (how often does ''that'' happen?) but parodied. Fred is a repo man, and is shown repossessing a little girl's Christmas present... a big plasma TV.

Skip ahead two hundred years, Fred (Creator/VinceVaughn) is a small-time hustler living in Chicago who appears to be in his 40s. He lives with his English girlfriend (who grows tired of him never having a stable life) and acts as a father figure to an orphaned boy. When his latest scam finally catches up to him (operating his own personal Salvation Army kettle), the only way he can post bail is by calling Nick (Creator/PaulGiamatti) for a favor. Despite his brother's callousness, Nick is more than willing to help, though Mrs. Claus (Creator/MirandaRichardson) is skeptical. As a compromise, Fred is willing to come up to the North Pole and do a little helping out. Meanwhile, greedy lawyer Clyde Northcutt (Creator/KevinSpacey) tells Nick has three days to save his company from being shut down. It seems this year's Christmas' only hope lies in the irresponsible, chaotic Fred.

[[HilarityEnsues Hilarity Ensues.]]

!!This film contains examples of the following Tropes:

* HanukkahEpisode: ST one point during the big night Fred drops in on a Jewish family celebrating Hanukkah. He wishes them Happy Hanukkah and they offer him some of their food before sending him on his way.
* HeelFaceTurn: After Clyde has his HeelRealization he decides to help Nick run his operation better going forward.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Not once, not twice, but three times. Fred realises that his hatred of his family and the holidays has cost him almost everything. Clyde realises how much of an ass he's been when Nick gives him the present he always wanted as a kid but never got. Then, believe it or not, Santa Claus has probably the biggest of all when he realises that it was his fault his brother turned out the way he did, even if he didn't mean it, and by proxy he probably judged millions of kids over the years as naughty by only their actions without bothering to ask ''why'' they were being naughty in the first place and ruining many a childhood like he did Clyde's.
* MsFanservice: Really, the only justification for Elizabeth Banks' character being a human-sized elf and having a [[LimitedWardrobe wardrobe consisting entirely of]] [[SexySantaDress Sexy Santa Dresses]].
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Nick flat out destroys his brother's spirit and sense of selflessness in their childhood, and [[spoiler:it takes several centuries to mend those bridges.]]
** Fred, after [[spoiler:he accidentally gets Christmas cancelled. However, he quickly realises what he's done & spends the next few days travelling back to the North Pole to fix it.]]

* ParentalNeglect: Fred's mother in particular, she seems as incapable of saying anything nice about Fred as she is incapable of finding fault in Nick. Even at the end when then family is brought back together all she can say to him is that his girlfriend is too good for him.

* [[RecycledTrailerMusic Recycled Movie Music]]: Five cues from Music/AlanSilvestri's ''Film/MouseHunt'' score appear in the film (this was due to the film's original score by Rolfe Kent being rejected in post-production and the replacement score by Christophe Beck not being finished before opening, so much of the temp track ended up in the final cut). Silvestri was credited for its use.

* TheUnfavorite: Fred, he ends up despising his brother and parents as a result and had to be forced to spend time with them.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Nick flat out destroys his brother's spirit and sense of selflessness in their childhood, and [[spoiler:it takes several centuries to mend those bridges]].
** Fred, after [[spoiler:he accidentally gets Christmas cancelled. However, he quickly realises what he's done & spends the next few days travelling back to the North Pole to fix it]].

** Fred is placed in charge of monitoring the "Naughty or Nice" list via crystal ball. He asks Nick if he could see if the Swedish Bikini Team is being "naughty."

HilarityEnsues.

* HeelRealization: Fred, Clyde and even Santa Claus himself, get one late in the movie when they [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone realize how their actions have negatively impacted other people]], causing all three to try and set things right.
* IncessantMusicMadness: the elf DJ won't stop taking requests to play "Here Comes Santa Claus", so Fred shoves him into a cabinet so he can play something else. Fred switches the radio to Music/ElvisPresley's "Rubberneckin' that gets the whole elf crew dancing. Unfortunately, it leaves the workshop in total chaos since it also causes the Elves to neglect their jobs just as Santa and efficiency expert Clyde Northcutt walk in.

* HeelRealization: Fred, Clyde and even Santa Clause himself, get one late in the movie when they [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone realize how their actions have negatively impacted other people]], causing all three to try and set things right.

* RealityEnsues: This comedy takes a realistic approach to Santa's myth in many aspects, sometimes [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructing]] the tropes around the myth, and sometimes reconstructing them a little later.

A 2007 comedy about Santa Claus' estranged older brother, Fred. In the opening prologue, we see that Nicholas and Frederick are two happy siblings. Each year, around Christmastime, Nicholas starts getting more and more charitable. He gives away all his own gifts to poorer children. With their parents constantly praising his kindness, Frederick grows more and more resentful. Trying to show off his own selflessness, Fred makes a birdhouse. Unfortunately, as soon as it's hung-up, Nick saws down the tree to decorate the house. That was the final straw for Fred.

Skip ahead two hundred years, Fred (Creator/VinceVaughn) is a small-time hustler living in Chicago who appears to be in his 40s. He lives with his English girlfriend (who grows tired of him never having a stable life) and acts as a father figure to an orphaned boy. When his latest scam finally catches up to him (operating his own personal Salvation Army kettle), the only way he can post bail is by calling Nick (Creator/PaulGiamatti) for a favor. Despite his brother's callousness, Nick is more than willing to help, though Mrs. Claus (Miranda Richardson) is skeptical. As a compromise, Fred is willing to come up to the North Pole and do a little helping out.

* IncessantMusicMadness: the elf DJ won't stop taking requests to play "Here Comes Santa Claus", so Fred shoves him into a cabinet so he can play something else. Fred switches the radio to Music/ElvisPresley's "Rubberneckin' that gets thew whole elf crew dancing. Unfortunately, it leaves the workshop in total chaos since it also causes the Elves to neglect their jobs just as Santa and efficiency expert Clyde Northcutt walk in.

* MsFanservice: Really, the only justification for Elizabeth Banks's character being a human-sized elf and having a [[LimitedWardrobe wardrobe consisting entirely of]] [[SexySantaDress Sexy Santa Dresses]].

* KarmaHoudini: Fred's mother is not evil, but she's partly responsible for how he turned out. Unlike Nick, who realized what he did to his brother, she never realizes her own mistakes nor is she ever called out on them.
** Clyde too, although it could be argued in his case that karmic retribution would ruin the message of the film.

* ManipulativeBastard: Clyde Northcutt, in spades.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fred_claus_ver7_xlg.jpg]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fred_claus.jpg]]

* [[RecycledTrailerMusic Recycled Movie Music]]: Five cues from Creator/AlanSilvestri's ''Film/MouseHunt'' score appear in the film (this was due to the film's original score by Rolfe Kent being rejected in post-production and the replacement score by Christophe Beck not being finished before opening, so much of the temp track ended up in the final cut). Silvestri was credited for its use.

* ActorAllusion: [[SirNotAppearingInThisTrailer Kevin Spacey]] plays an antagonistic ObstructiveBureaucrat. Later [[spoiler:he does a HeelFaceTurn when Santa gives him the one thing he always wanted when he was a kid -- [[Film/SupermanReturns a Superman cape]].]]

* TropaholicsAnonymous: Fred visits "Siblings Anonymous" where the brothers of famous people try to find peace. Among those attending are Frank Stallone, Roger Clinton, and Stephen Baldwin.

* ActorAllusion: [[SirNotAppearingInThisTrailer Kevin Spacey]] plays an antagonistic ObstructiveBureaucrat. Later [[spoiler: he does a HeelFaceTurn when Santa gives him the one thing he always wanted when he was a kid -- [[Film/SupermanReturns a Superman cape]].]]

* {{Deconstruction}}: The film deconstructs the concept of the naughty or nice list as the list doesn't judge whether or not the child deserves to be put on the naughty or nice list. Also, deconstructs the Santa myth as Santa is overweight and suffers health problems and martial issues.

* KarmaHoudini: Fred's mother is not evil, but she's partly responsible for how he turned out. Unlike Nick, who realized what he did to his brother, she never realizes her own mistakes nor is she ever called out on it.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Not once, not twice, but three times. Fred realises that his hatred of his family and the holiday has cost him almost everything. Clyde realises how much of an ass he's been when Nick gives him the present he always wanted as a kid but never got. Then, believe it or not, Santa Claus has probably the biggest of all when he realises that it was his fault his brother turned out the way he did even if he didn't mean it and by proxy he judged probably millions of kids over the years as naughty by only their actions without bothering to ask ''why'' they were being naughty in the first place and ruining many a childhood like he did Clyde's.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Nick flat out destroys his brother's spirit & sense of selflessness in their childhood, and [[spoiler:it takes several centuries to mend those bridges]].

** They were favoring Nick long before saint-hood, in several instances of childhood whenever Fredrick did something his mother was 'about' to positivly remark on Nicolas would top him in an outlandish manner. Then chides at Fred started when he tried putting logic to any of the things Nick did.

* UngratefulBastard: Fred thinks this of Nick when he gives his younger brother a well thought, hand made and very personalised present, only for the future saint to immediatly put it in a sack and take it with a bunch of his other belongings to give to another boy. Then when Fred finds fault in giving another boy a book made specifically for his brother (even putting Nicolas on the cover) his mother chides him.
* YoungerThanTheyLook: Since Santa Claus had white hair and a white beard, he looks older than his brother.

* ActorAllusion: [[SirNotAppearingInThisTrailer Kevin Spacey]] plays an antagonistic ObstructiveBureaucrat. Later [[spoiler: he does a HeelFaceTurn when Santa gives him the one thing he always wanted when he was a kid -- [[SupermanReturns a Superman cape]].]]

Skip ahead two hundred years, Fred (Vince Vaughn) is a small-time hustler living in Chicago who appears to be in his 40s. He lives with his English girlfriend (who grows tired of him never having a stable life) and acts as a father figure to an orphaned boy. When his latest scam finally catches up to him (operating his own personal Salvation Army kettle), the only way he can post bail is by calling Nick (Paul Giamatti) for a favor. Despite his brother's callousness, Nick is more than willing to help, though Mrs. Claus (Miranda Richardson) is skeptical. As a compromise, Fred is willing to come up to the North Pole and do a little helping out.