7.1/10
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Bad Santa (2003)

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A miserable conman and his partner pose as Santa and his Little Helper to rob department stores on Christmas Eve. But they run into problems when the conman befriends a troubled kid, and the security boss discovers the plot.

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3,318 ( 855)
Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 10 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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Storyline

Willie T. Stokes is a convicted con man who's led a miserable life. He drinks heavily and constantly embarrasses himself publicly. He only works once a year dressed as Santa. But then come Christmas Eve, he and his pint-sized helper dwarf Marcus stage elaborate robberies and take their department stores for everything they got. This year, they hit a mall in suburban Phoenix, Arizona. This time around, Willie gets distracted by having sex with large women, a bartender who is attracted to Santas, and a kid who's convinced he's the real deal. However, this time around Marcus must once again put up with Willie's heavy drinking and a series of incidents that constantly shoot themselves in the foot. Not to mention a nosy department store security guard who's onto them and wants his cut of the loot. Will Willie and Marcus make it to next Christmas? Or will this be the year the dynamic duo finally face justice? Written by halo1k

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

He doesn't care if you're naughty or nice. See more »

Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive language, strong sexual content and some violence | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

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Country:

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Language:

Release Date:

26 November 2003 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Badder Santa  »

Filming Locations:

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Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$12,292,952 (USA) (28 November 2003)

Gross:

$2,983 (Hong Kong) (31 December 2004)
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Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (Director's cut) | (unrated)

Sound Mix:

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Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

First movie in Ireland to be rated the new 16 certificate. See more »

Goofs

When Willie steals the chocolates from the Kid's advent calendar he is wearing a watch on his right wrist. In the next shot when he is swigging from the bottle the watch is gone. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Willie: Hey, can I get another drink down here?
See more »

Crazy Credits

In loving memory of John Ritter See more »

Connections

Referenced in The Internship Games (2015) See more »

Soundtracks

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
(1963)
Written by Eddie Pola (as Edward Pola) and George Wyle
Performed by Andy Williams
Courtesy of Barnaby Records, Inc.
By Arrangement with Celebrity Licensing
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

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User Reviews

 
One of the best, and most surprising, films of the year
1 December 2003 | by (Arkansas, US) – See all my reviews

When I first saw the trailer for this film I thought that it was basically just gonna be a funny little dark comedy that would be a nice distraction from the annoying family movies that are being dumped into theaters around this time. However, leaving the theater after watching this, I discovered how much more it was than what I was expecting. Instead a good movie, I got a great one, with good direction and a wonderful script and, best of all, the performance of Billy Bob Thornton, who makes the film what it is. His foulmouthed, cynical, suicidal character might look two-dimensional on paper and, had another actor taken a stab at this role, come off as forced and tiresome, but Thornton finds just the right blend of humor and reality. The film is touching, but not on the surface. Many viewers will not get it; they'll see this film as a vulgar assault on the Christmas spirit, and, in a way, it is, but deeper than that there is a story here about a man who has lost all faith in the human race and has now been restored. Without being sappy, unlike almost any other film I've ever seen, "Bad Santa" is able to make this an emotional journey for a contemptable character, get us to like him, and disguise it behind dark, sick humor. It's a masterpiece of dark comedy and the best holiday film of the last 5 years. **** out of ****


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