 | |
List Price: $19.99 | | Label: Miramax Home Entertainment
Salesrank: 1323
Released: June 22, 2004 |
| Our Price: $9.70 |
| Used Price: $5.99 |
|
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
Hollywood favorites Billy Bob Thornton (THE ALAMO), Bernie Mac (MR. 3000), and John Ritter (TV's 8 SIMPLE RULES FOR DATING MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER) star in the year's most-talked-about comedy hit, BAD SANTA. You'd better watch out -- Santa Claus Willie T. Stokes (Thornton) is coming to town and he doesn't care if you've been naughty or nice. Willie's favorite holiday tradition is to fill his sacks with loot lifted from shopping malls across the country. But this year his plot gets derailed by a wise-cracking store detective (Mac), a sexy bartender (Lauren Graham -- TV's GILMORE GIRLS), and a kid who's convinced Willie is the real Santa Claus.
Description of Bad Santa:
Instantly qualifying as a perennial cult favorite, Bad Santa is as nasty as it wants to be, and there's something to be said for comedy without compromise. The Coen brothers conceived the basic idea and served as executive producers, but it's director Terry Zwigoff (Crumb, Ghost World) who brings his unique affinity for losers and outcasts to the twisted tale of Willie T. Stokes (Billy Bob Thornton), a hard-drinking, chain-smoking, foul-mouthed sexaholic safe-cracker who targets a different department store every holiday season, playing Santa while he cases the joint with his dwarf elf-partner Marcus (Tony Cox). With comedic support from Bernie Mac, Lauren Graham, Cloris Leachman, and John Ritter in his final film, Thornton milks the lowbrow laughs with a slovenly lack of sentiment, warming Bad Santa's pickled heart just enough to please a chubby misfit (Brett Kelly, hilariously deadpan) who may or may not be mentally challenged. As dry as an arid martini and blacker than morning-after coffee, Bad Santa is an instant cure for yuletide schmaltz, and if you think this appropriately R-rated comedy is suitable for kids, your parenting skills are no better than Willie's. --Jeff Shannon
Bad Santa Reviews:
Great Adult Holiday Classic! 
2009-12-23 - I LOVE this movie. It is one of the funniest Christmas movies you'll ever watch. However, don't watch it if you have kids in the house and don't watch it expecting the trite cliches you get from nearly all other Christmas movies. What I love about this movie besides that hilarious script and great acting done by all the characters (major and minor), is that it actually does have a theme of redemption at the end (despite what many of the other reviews claim). But that theme is subtle; you don't get hit over the head with it like in the usual maudlin Christmas movies.
I can see how some people would be offended and perhaps that would prevent them from liking it, but other than that, I honestly cannot understand how anyone else can watch this movie and not think it's funny.
A Warped Holiday Classic 
2009-12-16 - Summary: An alcoholic safe-cracker, Willie(played by Billy Bob Thornton, aka that nutter that got to bang Angelina Jolie), and a criminal mastermind dwarf, Marcus(played by Tony Cox, aka that little guy in the movie Friday), dress up as a mall Santa and his elf in order to rob a mall every year around Christmas. During a gig in Arizona, Willie meets a dim-witted kid, Thurman Merman, who shames him into becoming an off-center father figure in the kid's life. Through his dealing with Thurman, Willie learns compassion and love in his own twisted way.
What About It: Criticized as a blemish on the idea of Christmas, Bad Santa is a generational Christmas movie, and will resound with generation Xers and Yers for years to come. It's not A Miracle on 34th Street, it is what that movie would be today.
These days, who doesn't know of someone who battles alcoholism, especially during the holidays? I know people who have lots of family to share the holidays with, and they can drink Willie the alcoholic Santa under the table. Willie is among the many who feel alone, and bury themselves in that misery at the end of the year for fear of remembering how alone they feel.
It is this idea that is expanded and then fixed in Bad Santa, and it is done hilariously. From a little fat kid sparring with a dwarf to Santa pissing himself while sitting on the "Santa throne"(or whatever that thing is called), Thornton and Cox do everything they can to drive the spirit of Christmas out of the movie, in order to better build it back up.
Maybe this is an atempt at sucking the commercialism out much like blood-letting. There is a touching scene that Thurman cuts his hand, and Willie pours alcohol on it to stop it from getting infected. Later on, Willie learns that Thurman cut his hand carving Willie a wooden pickle as a Christmas present. As absurd as Willie thinks a wooden pickle is, he realizes that it was a gift of love, and works to reciprocate that love in his own dysfunctional way. The final scene is tragically hilarious.
John Ritter and Bernie Mac also give great supporting performances as the mall manager and his chief of security. Sadly, this was Ritter's last role before tumbling to his death while putting up Christmas lights.
The best Christmas movie not for the kids
2009-12-14 - Billy Bob Thornton's character is one of the most unlikeable in film history, but his brilliant acting blends perfectly with the hilarious script. Forget watching this movie in the same house as any young ones, unless their rooms are 100% soundproof. The fact that this film has no shame is what makes so many scenes laugh out loud funny. You just don't hear this kind of stuff in movies. This was also John Ritter's last role before his death and along with Slingblade (also with Billy Bob Thornton), this one shows just how talented he really was. He manages to get more than his share of uncomfortable laughs. I also have to mention the main kid's performance because he is just so darn lovable. Along with National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Bad Santa is always at the top of my list to watch during the holidays. The perfect movie for any Grinch who wouldn't be upset with finding nothing but coal and liquor in their stocking.
By the way, the most complete version is Badder Santa (Unrated), not the Director's Cut.
Beyond Funny
2009-12-11 - This movie is beyond funny. This is the perfect holiday movie for adults. I love to watch this whenever i'm around a bunch of my friends. It's the kinda movie that is so over the top you can't help but laugh. Billy Bob Thorton plays a drunk mall Santa. However, This is definately not your ordinary Santa. This Santa plans to rob the mall. I've seen this movie a million times and will watch it at least a million more. Bernie Mac and John Ritter also co-star in this film. I have'nt laughed this hard at John Ritter since Three's Company. This was his last movie performance and one of his best. This movie has become an instant classic. It's got a drunk santa, a fat kid that is always trying to fix everyone sandwhiches, and a black midget that can fight-what else do you need? Everyone should see this one and add it to the collection of must have dvds. I give this one a big "TWO THUMBS UP". Holla.
Funny Movie!
2009-12-06 - I saw parts of this movie on television. The parts I did see were "hiliarously funny". Ordered the movie to watch from beginning to end. Did enjoy it!
