Bad Santa
Seen it?2003 | 92 min | Drama, Comedy, Crime
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (78% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime-drama fans and anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved Go or Raising Arizona, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Funny with heart.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 32 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
You'd better watch out - Willie T. Soke is coming to town, and he doesn't care if you've been naughty or nice. Willie's favorite holiday tradition is to fill his sacks with loot lifted from shopping malls across the country. But this year his plot gets derailed by a wisecracking store detective, a sexy bartender, and a kid who's convinced Willie is the real Santa Claus.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
78% on Rotten Tomatoes, 70 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.6 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$77 million worldwide on a $23 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 302K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Go Saturday SpecialAnother Christmas crime comedy.
Raising Arizona Saturday SpecialAnother crime comedy, and a Saturday Special.
Blindspotting
Sunday Safe BetAnother crime drama, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
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Cast & crew
Directed by Terry Zwigoff
- Billy Bob ThorntonWillie
- Tony CoxMarcus
- Lauren GrahamSue
- Brett KellyThe Kid
- Lauren TomLois
- John RitterBob Chipeska
- Bernie MacGin
- Ajay NaiduHindustani Troublemaker
- Alex BorsteinMilwaukee Mom with Photo
- Lorna ScottMilwaukee Mother