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Surviving Christmas

  • 2004
  • PG-13
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
5.5/10
30K
YOUR RATING
Ben Affleck and James Gandolfini in Surviving Christmas (2004)
Home Video Trailer from Dreamworks
Play trailer0:31
2 Videos
52 Photos
Dark ComedyHoliday ComedyHoliday RomanceComedyHolidayRomance

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

  • Director
    • Mike Mitchell
  • Writers
    • Deborah Kaplan
    • Harry Elfont
    • Jennifer Ventimilia
  • Stars
    • Ben Affleck
    • Christina Applegate
    • James Gandolfini
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.5/10
    30K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Mike Mitchell
    • Writers
      • Deborah Kaplan
      • Harry Elfont
      • Jennifer Ventimilia
    • Stars
      • Ben Affleck
      • Christina Applegate
      • James Gandolfini
    • 171User reviews
    • 89Critic reviews
    • 19Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 5 nominations total

    Videos2

    Surviving Christmas
    Trailer 0:31
    Surviving Christmas
    5 Holiday Films That Deserve Another Watch
    Clip 1:01
    5 Holiday Films That Deserve Another Watch
    5 Holiday Films That Deserve Another Watch
    Clip 1:01
    5 Holiday Films That Deserve Another Watch

    Photos52

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    Top cast66

    Edit
    Ben Affleck
    Ben Affleck
    • Drew Latham
    Christina Applegate
    Christina Applegate
    • Alicia Valco
    James Gandolfini
    James Gandolfini
    • Tom Valco
    Catherine O'Hara
    Catherine O'Hara
    • Christine Valco
    Josh Zuckerman
    Josh Zuckerman
    • Brian Valco
    Bill Macy
    Bill Macy
    • Doo-Dah
    Jennifer Morrison
    Jennifer Morrison
    • Missy Vangilder
    Udo Kier
    Udo Kier
    • Heinrich
    David Selby
    David Selby
    • Horace Vangilder
    Stephanie Faracy
    Stephanie Faracy
    • Letitia Vangilder
    Stephen Root
    Stephen Root
    • Dr. Freeman
    Sy Richardson
    Sy Richardson
    • Doo-Dah Understudy
    Tangie Ambrose
    Tangie Ambrose
    • Kathryn
    John 'B.J.' Bryant
    • Cabbie
    • (as John BJ Bryant)
    Peter Jason
    Peter Jason
    • Suit
    Phill Lewis
    Phill Lewis
    • Levine the Lawyer
    Tumbleweed
    • Santa
    Kate Hendrickson
    Kate Hendrickson
    • Santa's Photographer
    • Director
      • Mike Mitchell
    • Writers
      • Deborah Kaplan
      • Harry Elfont
      • Jennifer Ventimilia
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews171

    5.529.5K
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    Featured reviews

    8tophus

    Great twist on the christmas genre

    Very nice and refreshing take on the christmas film genre - and funnier than most.

    One for the ones who need a break from to much sappy and boring stuff.

    Maybe not for the easily offended by anyone poking at traditional values, or those with grudges against the actors for some reason - but they are probably stuck rewatching the mushy stuff over and over again anyway.

    Great cast.

    For those hating Afflec in these Review - wake up. You're missing the point. He's not tryng to be funny or going for a Jim Carrey approach - and that's what makes this work.

    Wonderful ladies, great to see Selby again, and Gandolfini is a gem.

    My kind of christmas movie.

    Good entertainment.

    Thumbs up.
    8holtseel

    Laughed out loud!

    What a funny and well played Christmas movie! I'm surprised I've never seen it before, after all it's almost twenty years old. Must be because of the low rating - probably rated by sour puss Hallmark sentimental X-mas movie fans without a sense of humor. A new holiday favorite, I will watch it again many times in the future. I read it was Razzle nominated for worst movie and screen play that year..what's wrong with people.. See and enjoy this different and humorous Christmas movie with lovely actors. It's great to see "Kevin McAllister's mom" as a completely different mom, she's awesome in this role as well. Loved the movie! 8/10.
    amandaleemoyer

    This film is so underrated!

    Online.. I've seen so many people talk about bad acting and just not funny. Sometimes I wonder if they're watching a completely different movie. This movie had me smiling from beginning to end. The acting was not poor at all. James Gandolfini was perfect and played off of Ben Affleck really well. Honestly.. I think maybe people might be just looking at reviews for like the box office and not even giving the movie a chance.. that's the only explanation I have for why someone would give this movie a bad review.

    I came across this movie during the 2021 Christmas season.. I had heard about it before.. when it first came out and never had the opportunity to watch it. The movie kind of slipped my mind until I saw it available on a streaming service in 2021. Really enjoyed it! Had to be sure to watch it this year as well. :-). This movie will become a new Christmas tradition for me.
    7jpintar

    Surprisingly funny

    Surviving Christmas is a surprisingly funny movie especially considering the bad publicity when it was first released. Ben Affleck is funny as an obnoxious millionaire who pays the family that occupies his childhood home to be his family for Christmas. He then drives the family crazy with overindulgence for Christmas cheer. I have not been a Ben Affleck fan in the past (though I did like Daredevil and Paycheck) but here he is well cast in this role. I also like Christina Applegate as the daughter in the family who can't stand Affleck's character at first. Sure you can see where this movie is going but you don't care. Ignore what the critics say and rent this movie out because it is funnier than a lot of Christmas movies.
    6lover101

    Not-so-typical, feel good Holiday movie.

    The cast of Surviving Christmas is a sort of hodge-podge of actors/actresses. I could not have imagined ever casting them together, but it works well in the movie. It is better than the average feel-good Christmas movie, but not destined to be a classic. The comedy is well dispursed throughout, and the movie moved along at a good pace. I have seen plenty of holiday movies, but never imagined one with Ben Affleck. As a matter of fact, this is the first time I have seen an Affleck movie. (I have shunned them on purpose in the past - Well, OK, I did like Dazed and Confused). The movie, however, is entertaining, and only a few jokes fall flat. 7 out of 10 on the holiday scale.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

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

      Drew Latham: Please! Please, let me stay here!

      Tom Valco: No!

      Drew Latham: I'll pay you.

      Tom Valco: My family's not for sale, pal.

      Drew Latham: I'll pay you $250,000!

      Tom Valco: Welcome home, son.

    • Connections
      Featured in HBO First Look: 'Surviving Christmas': Unwrapping the Comedy (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
      Written by Edward Pola & George Wyle

      Performed by Andy Williams

      Courtesy of Barnaby Records, Inc.

      By Arrangement with Celebrity Licensing

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 22, 2004 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • DreamWorks (United States)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Sobreviviendo a la navidad
    • Filming locations
      • Chicago, Illinois, USA
    • Production companies
      • Dreamworks Pictures
      • Tall Trees Productions
      • LivePlanet
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $45,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $11,663,156
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $4,441,356
      • Oct 24, 2004
    • Gross worldwide
      • $15,125,687
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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