Rating: Summary: Not For the Politically Correct---But a Hoot Nevertheless Review: What works so well with Terry Zwigoff's black comedy "Bad Santa" is its ability to deliver non-stop shock-value laughs from start to finish without compromising like the usual holiday movie that must resort to an ending injected with sugar-coated holiday political correctness a la Christmas classics like "Miracle on 34th Street" and "It's a Wonderful Life" in order to pacify all those Christmas purists who like their Santa with a snowy white beard and a clean velvet suit. I am certainly not saying that I don't like my Santas a little more GQ than Billy Bob Thornton's portrayal of Willie T. Stokes---the meanest, dirtiest Santa this side of Dante's third ring of the Inferno. The image of a mall Santa urinating in his costume because he is too drunk to get off his plastic throne to use the john in the opening sequences of the film, ranks in the top ten of my all time most disgusting images. Yet somehow, the outrageousness of having a Santa in such a condition, working with determined mastermind Marcus, an elf with a mouth that could use a double dose of Draino to clean it out, while under the watchful eye of PC Mall Manager John Ritter and Security Chief Bernie Mack, is somehow hilarious. Call me blasphemous, but I found that almost guiltily, this movie kept me watching while it certainly tickled the more evil side to my funny bone. Be warned---this movie is not for the faint of heart and certainly not for children (the R-rating is to be taken very seriously here)---this Santa curses up a blue, not red streak---he is a sexaholic that enjoys overweight women in a department store dressing room and takes advantage of a dead pan kid and his under attentive grandmother by moving into their house in his Santa guise. This is not a movie of angelic revelations. Willie starts out bad and stays bad. The plot is simple: Willie and Marcus use their jobs to acquaint themselves and infiltrate Mall security in order to rob various stores blind on Christmas Eve. The money they acquire keeps them in drinks and the good life until the holiday season rolls around again the following year and Marcus and a rather reluctant Willie make another appearance in another mall in another state. However, this year, the store security guard finds them out and wants in on the deal. This and other snafus---Willie meets Sue with a Santa fetish, and a lonely kid that provides him with a great suburban pad to live in---make this a Christmas to remember---but not for the usual reasons that supposedly make Christmas movies sparkle with cinematic tinsel. Thankfully, there is no redemptive scene here where Willie goes on the wagon because a child has shown him the true meaning of life. If anything, this film with its no-holes-barred humor strikes a much more realistic cord in the hearts and minds of men. The social commentary alone smacks of the "priceless"-ness towards which the familiar Master Card advertisements hint. Depicted without any special meaning other than abject consumerism, Christmas rankles in its truly most incongruous setting---suburban sprawl-city Phoenix. Simply put, the movie is hysterical and not because it's a twisted sort of different---its worth the sit-through in the theatre because its real enough to be so funny its oddly and as tastelessly familiar as a mall decked out in holiday trappings the day after Hallowe'en. This movie is not for children of any ages---anyone expecting a Santa Clause type premise---forget it--see something else. If you only like your Christmases buffered with a fresh load of newly fallen snow--forget it--this one is for those who like it a little more realistic---after people and dogs have left a few footprints.
Rating: Summary: Get Bent Santa! Review: This crude, often funny, but mostly crude comedy is not for the kiddies, even if it has Santa in the title. Just look at the word before it.Billy Bob Thornton breathes life into this really nasty character, Willy, a department store Santa who's a foul-mouthed, alcoholic turd. He's extremely sexually active. And a grinch who steals steals a different department store every season with a little person, his elf Marcus. Along with way he befriends with a chubby kid who seems to believe he's the real Santa Claus. Thornton gives a hilarious performance even though the script falls below par. The supporting players include Bernie Mac and the late John Ritter. It's still inexusable to defintly watch this film because it's way over the top and features thousands of bad words. Mostly the F word. The gags are funny sometimes, but that's it. I'll like the film better if I was dead drunk all the time like Willy.
Rating: Summary: So Funny.....but naughty Review: I wasn't expecting too much out of this movie, but was pleasantly surprised. First off, PLEASE don't take children to see this movie. I was shocked at all the young children who were in the theater with us. There is lots of foul language and sex scenes. Aside from the above (which ads to it), this movie is SO funny. Bill Bob plays a perfect "Bad Santa". I can't wait until it comes out on DVD.
Rating: Summary: Santa: Leave the Coen's a Script Under the Tree Review: I was really surpised and dissappointed that Santa chose to star in this movie. Next thing you know, he'll be kissing Britanny Spears.
Rating: Summary: The surprise of the season Review: Want to see one of the most politically incorrect movies of the last few years? See _Bad Santa_. This is a great shock comedy. Billy Bob Thornton gives a perfect performance as the Bad Santa in this movie. Tony Cox does a wonderful job as well as the elf. The trailer for this film does it no justice. I believe the trailer sucked so bad because they had very little material that didn't have sex or profanity in it. Who this film is for: Adults with an open mind Who this film is NOT for: Children or uptight conservative adults
Rating: Summary: ***1/2 Bad Santa is funny for a while. Review: Bad Santa is a film that is very funny for a while, and then slides into conventional movie territory, which is bad for a film as different as this. Billy Bob Thornton is great as a drunk loser who only works during the holiday season as a mall Santa Claus, accompanied by his trusty elf, portrayed very well by Tony Cox. These two work very well together and their scenes in the first half of this film are very funny. The rest of the cast seems wasted, outside of the little boy, who gets some funny scenes. Thornton is a riot in the scenes at the mall, but when the movie attempts to grow a heart, it stumbles into a cliche driven film about Christmas and it doesn't fit. A good effort, but not not as good as it could have been.
Rating: Summary: It's like the Simpsons. It's not Funny. Review: Billy Thornton, Lauren Graham, everyone who made this movie should be ashamed of themselves. They should fire their agents for getting them cast in this movie. This movie is bad, dirty,vulger, repulsive, wrong to be released on the holidays, terrible script movie that is both insulting to the audience and totaly destroys a sympol of what the Holidays should be about. Stay home and watch more suitable family viewing for the hoildays like the Charlie Brown Christmas Special.
Rating: Summary: f-n funny Review: okay...it isn't for the kids or those who cherish christmas, it is for the rest of us who love satire. Billy Bob is brilliant as the BUM! The 200 f- words just add to the charm of this movie. I thought it was hysterical at the theater and I laughed so hard that I thought popcorn was going to fly out my nose! How is the heck did they get that kid to play the scenes so straight?!? And on the touchy lovey note, it has that powerful message that man really is "good" even when he's bad.
Rating: Summary: Overall good Review: Good film. Could have been alot better though. The Chris Farley humor just got old after a while. Honestly, they could have toned down the swearing and graphic implied sex scenes and the film wouldn't have lost anything. A few moments of genuine clever humor, though. I don't know about you, but alcoholism isn't that funny, especially after you see Billy Bob drop the bottle on the ground for the fifth time or so. ALcoholism is serious stuff, it ruins lives and its hardly a joking matter. Fortunately... ...If you take this film as a black on black humor drama with a bit of heart-warming, off-beat poignancy that'll smack all the "do-gooder" conservative hypocrites in the face, its actually pretty good, but has alot of stupid scenes, which makes me give it only 3 stars. John Ritter is great in this film. Too bad he spent so many years doing goofy comedy like Three's Company. Also Bernie Mac is awesomely funny. The kid playing "the kid" is great too.
Rating: Summary: Not bad... Review: Having made it through the heck that is the Xmas season, Bad Santa was a great relaxation movie - nothing too complex, nothing too profound - just an easy laugh a long 90 minutes or so. The cast turn in good performances all round - Billy Bob fits his role perfectly. The direction is solid, the story works. John Ritter's absence halfway through the movie is sadly noticable (but overall this adds some weight). Enjoyable, disposable, and fun.
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