Surviving Christmas (2004)

A lonely, obnoxious young millionaire pays a family to spend Christmas with him.

Director:

Mike Mitchell

Writers:

Deborah Kaplan (story), Harry Elfont (story),

Stars:

Ben Affleck, James Gandolfini, Christina Applegate

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ben Affleck	...	Drew Latham
James Gandolfini	...	Tom Valco
Christina Applegate	...	Alicia Valco
Catherine O'Hara	...	Christine Valco
Josh Zuckerman	...	Brian Valco
Bill Macy	...	Doo-Dah
Jennifer Morrison	...	Missy Vanglider
Udo Kier	...	Heinrich
David Selby	...	Horace Vanglider
Stephanie Faracy	...	Letitia Vanglider
Stephen Root	...	Dr. Freeman
Sy Richardson	...	Doo-Dah Understudy
Tangie Ambrose	...	Kathryn
John 'B.J.' Bryant	...	Cabbie (as John BJ Bryant)
Peter Jason	...	Suit

Storyline

Drew Latham is an executive leading an empty, shallow life with only wealth on his side. Facing another lonely Christmas ahead, Drew wants to revisit his old childhood home and possibly relive some old holiday memories. But when he arrives, he finds that the house in which he was raised is no longer the home in which he grew up. Inhabited by another family, Drew offers a nice financial reward that has the family ringing. But is Drew's generous cash offer only the beginning of an annoying visitor who's a little too overeager to celebrate Christmas?

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Plot Keywords:

christmas | memory | childhood home | decoration | gift | 

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Taglines:

Share the warmth

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, language and a brief drug reference

Details

Official Sites:

DreamWorks [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 October 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sobrevivendo ao Natal

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$4,441,356 (USA) (22 October 2004)

Gross:

$11,198,345 (USA) (19 November 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks SKG, Tall Trees Productions, LivePlanet

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The production was shot without a completed script. As a result, there were many delays and arguments over what to shoot. Actor James Gandolfini admitted in behind the scenes interview that most of the film was "improvised".

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Goofs

There are no mountain ranges, such as the one depicted, within hundreds of miles of Chicago. However, it's possible that Drew, with his resources, "whisked" the family away to Colorado for the day.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Drew Latham: Folks, my firm's done a tremendous amount of marketing research and we've discovered two critical things, one; most Americans feel that Christmas is a time for family. Two; most Americans feel that in order to stand being around their family, for even one or two days, they need to swill as much alcohol as humanly possible.

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Connections

Features Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962)

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Soundtracks

"O Christmas Tree"
Performed by Ben Affleck & James Gandolfini

User Reviews

I got what I wanted

What would you expect from a film titled 'Surviving Christmas'and presented as 'festive fun', something like Ghandi or English patient? There are lots of things I love about this film, it's funny, it is very well cast and it is superbly written. I came to the film as a Kaplan/Elfort fan but was dubious when I read the plot, it sounded ridiculous. But the film doesn't come across like that because Affleck (as Drew Latham) plays his part perfectly, one minute a child-like adult, the next a mature man who realises he has gained everything in life apart from what he really wants. In fact we see Latham grow up in this film, when he encounters the problems of those he envies and realises that their lives are not so good, he sees that his own lot is not so bad.

This film has fewer weak or dud scenes than many other comedies I have seen. Comedy is so much harder than any other type of drama, it either works or it doesn't and very few comedy writers get it correct every time.I particularly loved the drama scene, where the family take to reading parts written by Latham . The pleasure is in the reaction of Tom Valco (James Gandolfini) and the comments of Brian Valco (Josh Zuckerman). It is the dilemma of the greedy Tom Valco who has to bite his tongue, wear silly hats or sing to the Christmas tree in order to earn the prize money that keeps the film moving along well.

The addition of daughter Alicia (Christina Applegate) into the story brings a delightful romantic angle, and why not in a Christmas film? Of course its corny and contrived; he's rich and handsome, she's beautiful and single, and so inevitably her and Afflect end up falling over together in the snow and finding themselves face to face. Great! One thing I would have liked was more use of festive music to boost the atmosphere but I can't really complain. I got what I wanted.