Surviving Christmas (2004)

Director:

Mike Mitchell

Writers (WGA):

Deborah Kaplan (story) &
Harry Elfont (story) ...

Release Date:

22 October 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

This year, Christmas comes early. Really early. Like... October 22nd.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Childhood Home | Suicidal | Suburbia | Christmas Tree

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

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
Peter Jason	...	Suit

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Brazil:10 | Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | Australia:M | Netherlands:MG6 | Philippines:G | Singapore:PG | UK:12A | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

The original Christmas 2003 release date was pushed back ten months, to avoid competing with another Ben Affleck film, Paycheck (2003). Because of this, there's a 2003 calendar hanging in Brian's bedroom, near the door.

Goofs:

Continuity: On Christmas eve Alicia's hair changes frequently from wavy to curly as the night progresses. It seems to get curlier as it gets later.

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.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "HBO First Look: 'Surviving Christmas': Unwrapping the Comedy (#11.20)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

What's Your Name?

Subvert that genre!

Surviving Christmas

A ridiculous and perverse premise has somehow made its way onto cinema screens this Christmas. Just like Christmas With The Kranks and The Polar Express, Surviving Christmas winds towards a festive moral that aims to fill the audience with yuletide cheer. The execution of said moral in this particular seasonal release is highly questionnaire but unmistakably funny.

Surviving Christmas has been slammed by the critics remorselessly. Nobody seems to have liked this twisted retelling of the story of Scrooge, and I believe I have found the answer: nobody likes Ben Affleck.

Affleck plays a rich ad executive who pays a dysfunctional family to take him in and make Christmas just how it was when he was a child. This seriously strange idea could, in the right hands, been a gross out smash hit in the Farrely brothers style. Instead, Mike Mitchell decides to take the whole thing a little too seriously and what results is a comedy that is uncomfortable with itself. As a result the actors are left unsure whether to play their characters straight or exaggerated. This can be all be blamed on the script, or lack thereof. Filming took place without a finished draft, and thus, parts of the film were improvised and unfunny material remains in the final cut.

Nevertheless, there are many positive attributes to this genre subverting film. James Gandolfini is very entertaining as the constantly resentful Tom Valco whose only vice, in true Christmas spirit, is money.

Ben Affleck style in comedic roles is disliked by many, but his specific brand of humour is allowed to thrive in this unnatural plot and situation driven comedy. The character of the son (Josh Zuckerman) is underdeveloped, as is the family's relationship with its neighbours, but again the unfinished script can be held accountable.

Surviving Christmas is by no means a great film, but it is certainly not as bad as it has been labelled. Unfortunately, most won't get a chance to decide for themselves until this film is released on DVD as it was grossly under marketed in the UK. An offbeat comedy and a genuine step forward for the Scrooge remakes that when given the chance to shine in its own right, works quite well.