Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersIndependent Spirit AwardsWomen's History MonthSXSWSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Surviving Christmas

  • 20042004
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
26K
YOUR RATING
Ben Affleck and James Gandolfini in Surviving Christmas (2004)
Home Video Trailer from Dreamworks
Play trailer0:31
1 Video
50 Photos
ComedyRomance
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.
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
26K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Mike Mitchell
  • Writers
    • Deborah Kaplan(story)
    • Harry Elfont(story)
    • Jennifer Ventimilia(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Ben Affleck
    • Christina Applegate
    • James Gandolfini
  • Director
    • Mike Mitchell
  • Writers
    • Deborah Kaplan(story)
    • Harry Elfont(story)
    • Jennifer Ventimilia(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Ben Affleck
    • Christina Applegate
    • James Gandolfini
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 157User reviews
    • 88Critic reviews
    • 19Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 5 nominations

    Videos1

    Surviving Christmas
    Trailer 0:31
    Watch Surviving Christmas

    Photos50

    Ben Affleck and James Gandolfini in Surviving Christmas (2004)
    Ben Affleck and James Gandolfini in Surviving Christmas (2004)
    Ben Affleck and James Gandolfini in Surviving Christmas (2004)
    Ben Affleck at an event for Surviving Christmas (2004)
    Ben Affleck at an event for Surviving Christmas (2004)
    Bill Macy at an event for Surviving Christmas (2004)
    Christina Applegate at an event for Surviving Christmas (2004)
    Christina Applegate at an event for Surviving Christmas (2004)
    Christina Applegate and Josh Zuckerman at an event for Surviving Christmas (2004)
    Christina Applegate, Catherine O'Hara, and Josh Zuckerman at an event for Surviving Christmas (2004)
    Christina Applegate at an event for Surviving Christmas (2004)
    Surviving Christmas (2004)

    Top cast

    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(story) (screenplay)
      • Harry Elfont(story) (screenplay)
      • Jennifer Ventimilia(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Four Christmases
    5.7
    Four Christmases
    Love the Coopers
    5.8
    Love the Coopers
    Reindeer Games
    5.8
    Reindeer Games
    Scrooged
    6.9
    Scrooged
    A Merry Friggin' Christmas
    5.1
    A Merry Friggin' Christmas
    Christmas Survival
    5.1
    Christmas Survival
    Trapped in Paradise
    5.9
    Trapped in Paradise
    The Night Before
    6.4
    The Night Before
    Bad Santa
    7.1
    Bad Santa
    Office Christmas Party
    5.9
    Office Christmas Party
    National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
    7.5
    National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
    Man About Town
    5.5
    Man About Town

    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

    User reviews157

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    5/10
    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.
    helpful•38
    20
    • the_usual_suspect
    • Dec 23, 2004

    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
      • Giáng Sinh Bất Tận
    • 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

    Technical specs

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

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Ben Affleck and James Gandolfini in Surviving Christmas (2004)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Surviving Christmas (2004) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.