Michelle Pfeiffer (Claire Clauster) in 'Oh. What. Fun,' directed by Michael Showalter. ALISHA WETHERILL/PRIME VIDEO
Ever since Maria Pacôme’s portrayal of a mother exasperated by her self-absorbed adult son in La Crise (1992) by French director Coline Serreau, it has been clear that female burnout – and maternal burnout in particular – can be joyfully liberating. The primal scream of "just leave me alone!" is at the heart of Oh. What. Fun., a new film directed by Michael Showalter.
The charm of Oh. What. Fun. lies in its status as a Christmas movie for those who are not fans of the genre. For Claire Clauster, whose favorite holiday is Christmas, you can never overdo it. This young grandmother from Houston, Texas – portrayed flawlessly by Michelle Pfeiffer – initially hesitates before setting up her inflatable decorations on the immaculate lawn of her suburban home. But as soon as her neighbor across the street compliments her, she is instantly convinced to bring out the brightly colored plastic figures from the basement.
Her home, for that matter, looks like Santa's workshop. Not a single room is spared from the decorating frenzy of this stay-at-home mom, who only removes her apron to hunt for a scented candle bigger than the one that same neighbor across the street gave her. The worst part is, her children are no more grateful for her efforts.
