OMG where to begin with this one? I've written several reviews on holiday films, but none of the movies I discussed were anything like Bad Santa. It's really in its own wonderfully demented category. But don't take that as a referendum that I wouldn't highly recommend this movie. Quite the contrary, I love this crazy film! You MUST see it!
One of several outstanding Christmas comedy films, Bad Santa is definitely one of the darkest. Directed by Terry Zwigoff and written by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, the film has admirable pacing. Its main star power comes from Billy Bob Thornton, with spectacularly hilarious and unforgettable performances by Tony Cox, Lauren Graham, Brett Kelly, Lauren Tom, with completely over the top performances by John Ritter and Bernie Mac. Sadly, Ritter passed away September 11, 2003, only a few months before Bad Santa premiered in November. Just as sad, Bernie Mac would pass away 5 years later on August 9, 2008. Their performances in this film remain legendary.
Not surprisingly Bad Santa was an immediate critical and commercial success. It made money and eventually spawned a far less ambitious sequel 13 years later, Bad Santa 2, released in 2016.
Like another holiday film I reviewed (2020's Fatman) Bad Santa isn't about your typical Santa Claus. Indeed, Mel Gibson's Fatman Santa actually possesses some magical abilities and still delivers toys to the world's good behaving children. The only trait Billy Bob's Santa has in common with Gibson's character is the apparent insatiable desire to be continuously flat out drunk.
No spoilers here. I can only reveal that Bad Santa is a depressed, hard drinking safecracker who poses each year as a store Santa Claus before eventually relieving his employer of all the money in their safe. Bad Santa teams with an elf, too, named Marcus. The elf is the brains of the thieving duo, played by Tony Cox, who is so good in his role you wish he had even more lines.
Bad Santa, like Fatman, casually destroys the sensitive parameters which define mainstream holiday movies. There's quite a lot of toilet humor here, but it's executed so deftly by the actors that you will definitely want to add it to your short list of "must see" Christmas films!
One of several outstanding Christmas comedy films, Bad Santa is definitely one of the darkest. Directed by Terry Zwigoff and written by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, the film has admirable pacing. Its main star power comes from Billy Bob Thornton, with spectacularly hilarious and unforgettable performances by Tony Cox, Lauren Graham, Brett Kelly, Lauren Tom, with completely over the top performances by John Ritter and Bernie Mac. Sadly, Ritter passed away September 11, 2003, only a few months before Bad Santa premiered in November. Just as sad, Bernie Mac would pass away 5 years later on August 9, 2008. Their performances in this film remain legendary.
Not surprisingly Bad Santa was an immediate critical and commercial success. It made money and eventually spawned a far less ambitious sequel 13 years later, Bad Santa 2, released in 2016.
Like another holiday film I reviewed (2020's Fatman) Bad Santa isn't about your typical Santa Claus. Indeed, Mel Gibson's Fatman Santa actually possesses some magical abilities and still delivers toys to the world's good behaving children. The only trait Billy Bob's Santa has in common with Gibson's character is the apparent insatiable desire to be continuously flat out drunk.
No spoilers here. I can only reveal that Bad Santa is a depressed, hard drinking safecracker who poses each year as a store Santa Claus before eventually relieving his employer of all the money in their safe. Bad Santa teams with an elf, too, named Marcus. The elf is the brains of the thieving duo, played by Tony Cox, who is so good in his role you wish he had even more lines.
Bad Santa, like Fatman, casually destroys the sensitive parameters which define mainstream holiday movies. There's quite a lot of toilet humor here, but it's executed so deftly by the actors that you will definitely want to add it to your short list of "must see" Christmas films!