By Fred Topel | Images property of 20th Century Fox.
It seems like every November and December bring with it another slew of Christmas-themed movies. This year brings us Deck the Halls, with Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito battling it out over holiday decorations. For Broderick, the field was not as full as critics may think.
Interview: Matthew Broderick Talks Deck the Halls Antics
“Actually, there aren't that many,” said Broderick. “I think it has a very nice feeling to it. It has a nice sentiment at the end, a very simple message at the end that it's not about lights and things so much, that there is a feeling to Christmas that we like. There's a goodwill. I don't know how to explain it but there's a Christmas spirit I guess that hopefully comes at the end.”
Don’t worry, it’s still a comedy. Broderick plays Steve Finch, the town’s Christmas authority. He feels usurped when Buddy Hall (Danny DeVito) moves across the street, determined to make his decorated house visible from space. Broderick’s point is just that all the hijinks lead to a meaningful conclusion.”
“After all this working, how do you get this feeling? Steve's very controlled method of getting there or Danny's over-the-top lighting everything? In the end it's more of an internal thing about the family's coming together. There's a nice, nice feeling to it, and then there's also a lot of laughs, and I think laughter is very nice always and particularly at Christmas because it can be a stressful time. There's a lot of stress any time you're around your whole family.”
Matthew Broderick in Deck the Halls
Some of the antics involve Broderick wearing a skin tight speed skating suit. The actor claims that nobody needed to sell him on that idea. “I liked that thing. I don't care. I thought it was really funny. I did skate as a kid. I hadn't skated for a long time when this movie came along but then they gave me some lessons, a professional speed skating instructor.”
Broderick co-stars in Deck the Halls with Kristin Davis. She plays his wife, and of course had also played best friends with Broderick’s real life wife on Sex & the City. Though the press loves to analyze such connections, it really wasn’t a big deal.
“I'd like to tell you I had a lot of deep discussions about it. She's a great actress and I've liked her so much for years and was very happy she wanted to do it. Sarah of course said, ‘Oh yes, she'd be great.’ So we had a very easy time.”
Add to Heffee!
