Saturday, August 15, 2009

Bad Santa (2003) R - 3 Stars

Definitely NOT a movie for kids unless you want them to start swearing at you. Instead, send them out of the room, and anyone else who is easily offended. This movie is made for adults as it travels into the darker side of human nature. Billy Bob Thornton was born for this role, playing a cranky, drunk, thoughtless and not so jolly saint nick. He hates kids and everything about Christmas. If you hate all the hype of the holiday season, you'll love Bad Santa. However, if crude, lewd and down out rude, is NOT your thing, stay as far away from this one as you can.

Willie T. Stokes (Billy Bob Thornton), is a thief who along with the help of his side kick Marcus (Tony Cox), manage to get gigs at local department stores each Christmas season, playing Santa and an elf. Their main reason for taking the gig is to have access inside the store with their intentions to rob the safe while it's full of holiday cash. But Willie is just about the worse Santa Claus Christmas has ever seen. He's constantly drunk, hates all types of children, has a horrible attitude about everything and just not what one expects out of Santa.

The mall's manager (John Ritter), is a constant witness to Willie's behavior and notifies the security chief (Bernie Mac), that he thinks the store should let Willie go. But for some reason, Willie manages to hold on even as the Phoenix Security Guard (Curtis Taylor) scopes out his every move. When one obsessive kid (Brett Kelly), meets Willie, he thinks he's found the true Santa Claus and won't let go. Now, can Willie learn something about the true meaning of Christmas from an overweight 8 year old?

Dimension Films
Director: Terry Zwigoff
Writers: Glenn Ficarra, Terry Zwigoff, John Requa
Producers: John Cameron, Sarah Aubrey, Bob Weinstein
I viewed 7/09

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