Kevin P. Farley, Cameron Goodman, Dennis Hopper

An anti-American filmmaker who's out to abolish the July Fourth holiday is visited by three ghosts who try to change his perception of the country.

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46% liked it

14,057 ratings

Critics

13% liked it

40 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 23 min.

Directed by: David Zucker

Release Date: October 3, 2008

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DVD Release Date: December 30, 2008

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Flixster Reviews (734)


  • October 21, 2008
    Charles Dickens? classic A Christmas Carol is so iconic, it?s almost become the standard for Christmas specials. Everyone from Patrick Stewart to Michael J. Fox has played some form of Ebenezer Scrooge, and it?s gotten to the point that just about every original twist that could ...( read more)be taken on the story has been done. Leave it to David Zucker (Airplane!) to find one other twist, by transforming the holiday from Christmas to the Fourth of July, and targeting Hollywood?s liberal habits along the way.

    The Scrooge figure in Zucker?s tale is Michael Malone, an obvious spoof on documentarian Michael Moore, right down to a repeating gag about how documentary filmmaking isn?t real filmmaking. Following the accusations made in real life by the conservative right, Moore?s fictional counterpart?s filmmaking is motivated by a disgust and dislike of what America has become, to the point that Malone is leading a rally to cancel the Fourth of July. Unfortunately for Malone, he?s about to receive visits from the spirits of three notable political figures who aim to teach the documentarian the real meaning of the Fourth of July, and transform the liberal filmmaker into a super patriot.

    There?s no getting around the fact that An American Carol has a strictly-Republican agenda. The movie strives to deconstruct Michael Moore?s liberal filmmaking, and really pushes the party line that we have to take the steps we take in the war against terror, ?or else the terrorists win!?, right down to a depiction of Hollywood should the war on terror be lost - Binladenland, where women wear burkas and the classic Hollywood sign has been rearranged. Frankly, I give Zucker credit for bringing a parody flick forward that actually has any kind of agenda - it?s a refreshing change from the recent rash of flicks that aim to cram as many pop culture references into ninety minutes as possible.

    I also have to give a bit of credit to some of the comedic performances An American Carol holds. Actor Kevin Farley has actually managed a decent career without being noticed, despite being the younger brother of the late Chris Farley. Here he blends together the double takes of his older brother with the look of Michael Moore, resulting in a part that lacks much in the way of subtlety, but is pretty hilarious to watch, especially as he gets smacked around and proves quite adept in slapstick comedy. Kelsey Grammar dominates the screen as always in his sizable role as General George Patton, and Robert Davi plays an awesome villain as always. A bit questionable casting is Trace Adkins, who plays himself but then also fills in as the Angel of Death/ Ghost of Christmas Future figure. After seeing JFK, Patton, and George Washington (an almost unrecognizable Jon Voight) as the other spirits, a contemporary country musician feels randomly plugged in. What, they couldn?t find any additional Republican figures to fill in?

    Although Zucker?s story is a refreshing change from the poor excuses for farce comedy we?ve been subjected to in recent years, it?s still not a return to high form for the comedic director. The movie is so steeped in its conservative agenda that it lacks any real focus. It?s fun watching Farley get knocked around by the spirits and other things, but eventually Ebenezer Scrooge had to learn a lesson of his own shortcomings - the mistakes of his past and the ultimate fate of his future. That frame feels like the weakest part of An American Carol, resulting in an extremely weak story. The shots at Democratic policies, procedures, and antics are funny enough, even for someone from the left side of the fence, but without a legitimate story to hold the movie together, it winds up being a considerable disappointment.

    An American Carol isn?t likely to ruffle any political feathers and it lacks anything else that might make it stand out. With a release date that fails to capitalize on either the Fourth of July or Christmas, this adaptation of Dickens? classic is just a little bit of noise during a political season that already has too tight a grip on most people?s attention for a piece of fluff like this to be noticed.
  • October 5, 2008
    Now as a moderate liberal/libertarian from Canada I figured out early on that I am not the target audience for the film (If it wasn't for a buddy of mine I would have never bothered.) but let me tell you that my views of An American Carol doesn't have as much to do with the polit...( read more)ics as much as it does with the laziness the once very gifted David Zucker puts into the movie. (Cause Bush jokes are too lazy they needed something fresh like a bunch of Michael Moore fat jokes no one has ever done that before.)
    Now lets face it the spoof genre hasn't been going to great in the last couple of years and just because looks for a different demographic (Angry old upper class white men versus teens with too much cash.) An American Carol doesn't aim to bring it back to its former glory. Instead just tries to proclaim that if you ever question the government and their methods you are a dirty traitor to your country and a terrorist lover. So in the end its just proof that its not only liberals in hollywood that can make themselves look like self righteous, narrow minded jackasses. Now this could have been forgiven if it was a funny film, but on both accounts it isn't. You sure showed them David Zucker.
  • October 3, 2008
    I loved it! Sooo funny; puts that self-absorbed fat-ass in his place for once! It's just hilarious.
  • September 13, 2008
    Will be the funniest movie this year by far.
  • October 26, 2008
    As witless and tactless as anything 2008 has offered up to date.
  • November 13, 2009
    It was Soooooo hard to sit through the whole thing.What a piece of trash!!!
  • October 21, 2009
    offensive characterizations of muslims
    jingoistic love for men in uniform
    attacking documentaries, pretty much denying useful information to uncover and expose corruption.
    Save yourself and get Zucker's better film, "Airplane!"
  • September 12, 2009
    I wouldn't stop laughing SO hard when I saw the trailer so I definetly wanna check this out!
  • September 5, 2009
    A David Zucker comedy full of cameos with a distinctly neo-conservative bent. Not nearly as funny as other Zucker comedies, this one takes on the fattest blow-hard of them all, Michael Moore. A good premise, but missing the timing that make the others so good.
  • August 23, 2009
    A funny take on American documentary film makers.

Critic Reviews


November 20, 2008
Pete Hammond, Hollywood.com

What could have been an amusing riff looks more like a propaganda film out to destroy Moore rather than spoof him. full review

October 6, 2008
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

An American Carol is about as not-funny as a comedy can get. full review

October 6, 2008
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Ultimately, the problem with An American Carol is the problem with far too much political discourse in this country, left or right: It highlights the worst excesses of the opposition for the sole purp... full review

View more An American Carol reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • MadaboutHatters
    January 31, 2009
    Hey Collegekid First of all get a sense of Humor!
    Secondly I'll take "Right wing garbage" over left wing Propaganda anyday. LOL
    Last, It was only not funny to you because you know it's true and the truth isn't funny to a liberal Hippy Treehugger. :D
  • Collegekid
    October 21, 2008
    Right wing garbage.
  • Race91
    October 3, 2008
    This looks fantastic! Really wanna see this! It's about time liberal-Hollywood gets what's coming to 'em!

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An American Carol Trivia


  • Which actor played an Americanized and modernized Scrooge in a made-for-tv adaptation of A Christmas Carol set against the backdrop of the Great Depression called An American Christmas Carol?  Answer »

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