 Movie
Reviews
with Evelyn Gough
Bad Santa
Directed by Terry Zwigoff
 Ho ho humbug... It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it... Billy Bob Thornton in Bad Santa.
If the thought of Christmas rapidly approaching makes you go ho hum rather than ho ho ho then you need to see Bad Santa.
This movie is sick and twisted - just the way I like my Yuletide festivities, films included! Based on a story by the Coen brothers and directed by Ghost Worlds' Terry Zwigoff, it stars Billy Bob Thornton as Willie T Soke, aka Bad Santa. He and his midget sidekick Marcus (Tony Cox) have the perfect scam. Each year they team up together and masquerade as a department store Santa and his elf helper while they prepare to rob the shopping mall on Christmas Eve.
Only problem is Willie's developed a bit of a drinking problem. Plus he likes to swear. A lot! Oh yeah, he also can't stand kids! He couldn't give a reindeer's arse if they've been naughty or nice - he'd rather be spending his time having sex in the ladies dressing rooms.
Not that any of this deters his biggest fan, an overweight, apparently mentally challenged boy (Brett Kelly), who idolises him. All he wants from Santa is a pink fluffy elephant. All Willie wants is a safe place to crash. When he discovers the kid is living in the lap of luxury with no one but his elderly, spaced out grandmother (Cloris Leachman), Willie decides it's time they had an early visit from Santa. Yo ho ho, Merry Christmas!
I thought this movie would be hilarious and a lot of it was. But surprisingly it was also a little depressing. It's difficult rooting for the hero when the hero is so unlikeable. Luckily as a counterbalance, the kid is extremely sweet and likeable - a fantastic performance from Brett Kelly.
And I'm no prude but some of the language in Bad Santa left me gob-smacked.
So obviously this film won't be everyone's cup of egg nog, but if you're all Elfed out and would prefer a dark Christmas to the usual snowy white one then I recommend you see Bad Santa.
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