Good news on Fred Claus, the re-teaming of Wedding Crashers director David Dobkin and star Vince Vaughn, releasing November 9 from Warner Bros.

the first trailer for the film really underwhelms, what with its rather rote slapstick and ninja elves, the movie is actually a lot… well, at least a good bit smarter than those clips indicate, providing a vehicle for Vaughn’s goosed-up, passive-aggressive, chatterbox patter, yes, but also some genuine and pleasant surprises in narrative direction, including a cameo from Frank Stallone. (Yes, seriously…) I was skeptical about Vaughn’s charms being able to sustain this movie, but Dobkin is a gifted, intuitive comedic director, and not just for spurning I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry.