Bad Santa

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Bad Santa

R

2003

1h 33m

Holiday

Comedy

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

78%

Tomatometer

216 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

In this dark comedy, the crotchety Willie T. Stokes (Billy Bob Thornton) and his partner (Tony Cox) reunite once a year for a holiday con. Posing as a mall Santa and his elf, they rip off shopping outlets on Christmas Eve. This year, however, Willie is falling apart. He's depressed and alcoholic, and his erratic behavior draws the suspicion of mall security (Bernie Mac). But when befriending a small boy brings out his kinder side, Willie begins to wonder if there is still some hope for him.

Critics Consensus

A gloriously rude and gleefully offensive black comedy, Bad Santa isn't for everyone, but grinches will find it uproariously funny.

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Nick Schager

The Daily Beast

12/05/2022

Climactic uplift is far less important than the bawdy, nasty, inappropriate hilarity peddled by Terry Zwigoff’s 2003 gem, which also benefits from the participation of the late Bernie Mac and John Ritter.

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Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

12/14/2014

In the annals of movie profanity, this movie would rate an Oscar, but it's actually pretty sweet at heart, although never sentimental. And if you don't believe me, you know what you can do.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

12/14/2014

An antidote to forced holiday cheer, this scabrously funny misanthropic comedy is not for the whole family.

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David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

02/15/2021

The film contains perhaps 90 seconds of genuine amusement. The rest is forced, juvenile, "off."

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

09/25/2020

8/10

His journey of humanization (or the softening of a terribly hardened heart) is sometimes genuinely poignant, even when it's surrounded by preposterously reprehensible conduct.

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

09/02/2020

3.0/4.0

Lauren Graham was wonderful as the sweet, at times horny, bartender with a thing for Santa.

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Blake- N

@PBSAniDom Apr 18

Bad Santa (2003) is crude, cynical, and definitely not for everyone, but it’s surprisingly well-executed for what it is. The film leans heavily into dark humor and uncomfortable situations, yet manages to find an odd balance between mean-spirited comedy and a strangely sincere story underneath. Billy Bob Thornton delivers a standout performance, fully committing to the character’s bitterness and self-destruction while still showing hints of humanity. The supporting cast, especially the kid, adds an unexpected layer of charm that contrasts nicely with the film’s harsh tone. While some jokes go too far and won’t land for every viewer, the direction and writing keep it from feeling completely pointless. Over time, it’s easy to see why it gained appreciation after its 2003 theatrical release. It’s rough around the edges, but executed better than expected. Overall, i'd gave it a 7/10.

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rob H

@RT63278111 Mar 9

This is a really funny movie! Don't let the cuss words put you off as cuss words are ubiquitous these days in this country. If you don't like this movie there is something wrong with you!

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Steven F.

@SteveGotScored Feb 19

One of the funniest crude humor holiday movies of all time!

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Steven P

@RT46278405 Jan 14

Crass... offensive... and hysterically funny. Billy Bob Thornton is hilarious. This is a very entertaining movie and so is the sequel. Those with delicate sensibilities will not appreciate it.

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Yuri B.

@RyuBlack Jan 6

Literally one of the funniest things that I've ever seen in my life. Billy Bob, Tony Cox, & the late greats, John Ritter & Bernie Mac were all hilariously outstanding.

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Lydia V

@RT06500680 Dec 26

Awful! Who behaves this way? How in the world does such a poor movie make it into any "Best" holiday list. The same people who liked this movie likely voted for you know who. Read a book people. I’m appalled this movie is on anything but a Worst Movies Ever list.

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Terry Zwigoff

Director

Billy Bob Thornton

Willie

Tony Cox

Marcus

Brett Kelly

The Kid

Lauren Graham

Sue

Lauren Tom

Lois

Bad Santa: Official Clip - I'm a Dwarf!

2:10

Bad Santa: Official Clip - Santa's Staying Over

2:09

Bad Santa: Official Clip - Santa's Fatherly Advice

1:48

Bad Santa: Official Clip - He's Freakin' Me Out

2:05

Bad Santa: Official Clip - Nutcracker

1:58

Bad Santa: Official Clip - Bob Chipeska

1:42

Bad Santa: Official Clip - The Three B's

2:03

Bad Santa: Official Clip - Wooden Pickle

2:13

Bad Santa: Official Clip - You People

1:54

Bad Santa: Official Clip - I Always Had a Thing For Santa Claus

2:05

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Synopsis

In this dark comedy, the crotchety Willie T. Stokes (Billy Bob Thornton) and his partner (Tony Cox) reunite once a year for a holiday con. Posing as a mall Santa and his elf, they rip off shopping outlets on Christmas Eve. This year, however, Willie is falling apart. He's depressed and alcoholic, and his erratic behavior draws the suspicion of mall security (Bernie Mac). But when befriending a small boy brings out his kinder side, Willie begins to wonder if there is still some hope for him.

Director: Terry Zwigoff
Producer: John Cameron, Sarah Aubrey, Bob Weinstein
Screenwriter: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Production Co: Triptych Pictures, The KL Line, Columbia Pictures, Dimension Films
Rating: R (Some Violence|Pervasive Language|Strong Sexual Content)
Genre: Holiday, Comedy, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 26, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 21, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $60.1M
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Surround