It's a lot of work to make Christmas happen

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I thought it was the aliens.

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When I was a kid, I thought people who lived like that were just on TV. Middle class existence was as relevant to my experience as robot maids and talking cars.

Honestly I'm still a little suspicious. Hollywood contrivances are a history of how we think of ourselves, not of how we are.

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They basically mind their own business the whole movie until Clark busts up their dining room!

They are a bit snobby, but really…

SSTF

Cousin Eddy did that all on his own. Clark was too busy screaming at his family about not being able to pay for a pool.

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Ernest does Christmas is the superior Christmas comedy.

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Die hard and home alone 1/2 are the objectively superior Christmas movies

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I'm actually rewatching it now, and Clark was minding his own business after getting the tree and Todd makes a snide comment about the size of the tree unprovoked, and Clark just bounced back at em. Then their next scene when Clark is putting up lights they kinda low-key hope he hurts himself.

No idea who exactly started the illwill between the neighbors but the yuppie couple certainly aren't played as the innocent victims

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I mean, if you really want it...

Possibly linux

I liked the grandma in this movie

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He has a great job, but still overspends because he wants to be seen as someone more than he is, and the only way he knows to prove his worth is by purchasing things. He can't afford what he already has, and is relying on an uncertain bonus just to cover what he already spent.

The only time he really gets mad, is when his stuff gets broken or laughed at.

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The story is about how his capitalist boss cut his wages so he couldn’t afford to give his family a Christmas gift. Now can you relate?

Meursault

Fun fact: the grandma in "Christmas Vacation" is none other than Mae Questel, the voice actor of Betty Boop.

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Michigan, where an extremely diverse college town like Ann Arbor that's listed as one of the most LGBT+ friendly places in the US is only 30 minutes south of Howell, home of KKK members and literal Nazis 'protesting' a stage production of The Diary of Ann Frank

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Chevy chase as a human is a drunk racist. If you start relating to this man you need to take a hard look at your life.

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It’s Chevy chase. A drunk racist. If you’ve not heard of him consider yourself for the better. There are far better movies that celebrate the season without having to employ and hold up a piece of shit as a hero.

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I'll take the first two of those but home alone 2 is... Well, a lot worse than I remembered

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Do you know what acting is

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Do you? Cuz maybe it’s news for you but : Him being fired from community for going on a racist diatribe off camera isn’t acting.

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Holy shit. Yeah I had a few friends that lived there and that tracks.

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The movie juxtaposes the ideal against the dysfunctional and highlights pressures of playing a social and familial role through comedy.

The main character is inherently flawed and is trying to give his family an ideal Christmas. He’s caught up in petty neighborly disputes, things go awry, and he’s an asshole. He wants to provide and be a good father and husband but his expectations are set too high and naturally he fails. He is morally weak and is easily distracted by lust or rivalry.

He just wants things to go as planned for once and not to be burdened by unwanted and embarrassing family members. He just wants things to be “normal” and for people to recognize his hard work and dedication.

People in this thread have pointed out that it’s difficult to empathize with the character because of his perceived wealth and the plot point of needing the Christmas bonus to cover money he over spent on a down payment for a pool.

However, for all of his toxic behaviors, his disproportionate reactions, his un-relatable lifestyle, his pettiness, his stress, his inability to let things go, he is familiar; he’s us. He wants to be happy but has no idea how to make that happen for himself. His heart is in the right place but that’s not enough.

There’s catharsis in watching him experience exaggerated depictions of what a lot of people experience around the holidays: you can’t choose your family and the world is typically against you. His final stress-fueled blowup and monologue at the end is a summary of the dumb shit the audience has always wanted to say but never been able to.

At least, that’s what I think the post is about.