24 movies Guaranteed to make you feel Christmassy

December 6th - Bad Santa

Year : 2003 Director: Terry Zwigoff Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, Lauren Graham.

Yes of course its Christmassy sort of - it just depends on what Christmas means to you.

First of all Bad Santa is not a family movie - that being understood here is the plot. Willie is an alcoholic, his job(?) is as a store Santa in malls during the christmas period, however this is just used a front as every Christmas Eve he and his partner Marcus (the store elf) then rob the mall of its takings. Marcus is concerned that Willie is in particularly bad shape this year, and as Willie's drunken and erratic behaviour worsens he is worried it may jeopardise the job. During his time at the mall Willie meets Sue, a bartender who he begins a relationship with. He also befriends and lonely and unhappy kid who he eventually feels sorry for and helps him toughen up against the bullying he receives at school. Leaving Sue and the kid at home to put up the Christmas decorations, Willie joins Marcus for one last christmas eve job at the mall.

Ok I admit I am pushing the boundaries of Christmassy here, but the film is set around Christmas and there is some redemption taking place at the end so I think I am justified in including it (despite the bad language, violence etc). A belligerent Billy Bob Thornton playing a Santa in a mall who is perpetually intoxicated (not to much acting required I should think) - actually it is an excellent performance (acting or not). The story itself is rather a unique and dark take on the festive period, and its seems appropriate that the Coen bothers contributed to the movie (worked on the screenplay and executive produced) as it does seem to borrow some styling's from their work. Its main strength is its humour, and there are quite a few very amusing moments in the movie. In many ways the movie is an antidote to tranch of sweeter christmas movies that appear at this time of year -but it isn't a polar opposite of them, there is still a message (of some sorts) and there is a redemption (of sorts - it just starts off from a much darker place).

Bad Santa is placed at December 6th on our Christmas movies guide (USA edition).

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