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Bad Santa (2003) Rank 2 Reviews

Expert Review Summary
Movie critics combined give Bad Santa (2003) a score of 2.8464 out of 4
based on (325) reviews
Click on the numbers to the right of the graph to see reviews of that rating
Excellent
4
Excellent
(74)
Very Good
3
Very Good
(172)
Good
2
Good
(60)
Fair
1
Fair
(16)
Poor
0
Poor
(3)
Reviews by Score:
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.49 out of 4 stars for Cutting Edge Cutting Edge
Als je het wat hebt gehad met alle kerstmisachtige joligheid, dan is “Bad Santa†misschien we het ideale tegengif. Zoals Sinterklaas bij ons, doet de kerstman in de States een tour de force door overal tegelijk aanwezig te zijn. Zo kan hij in tal van ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Cutting Edge
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.45 out of 4 stars for Off-screen Off-screen
In mezzo a tanti presunti autori, che nel tentativo di portare avanti un discorso estetico coerente si perdono nella scopiazzatura di se stessi (vedi M. Night Shyamalan), ecco invece un regista intelligente che sceglie di aggiornare il proprio cinema per ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Off-screen
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Jam! Movies (Louis B. Hobson)Jam! Movies (Louis B. Hobson)
It's one hilarious but nasty look at the commercialism of Christmas. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Jam! Movies (Louis B. Hobson)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for New York Magazine (Peter Rainer)New York Magazine (Peter Rainer)
My kind of Christmas movie--profane, subversive, and swarming with scuzzballs. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at New York Magazine (Peter Rainer)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for ShowBIZ Data (--)ShowBIZ Data (--)
...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at ShowBIZ Data (--)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)
It constantly fascinated me -- albeit not always in a good way. What it did not do is make me laugh. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Daytona Beach News-Journal (Fl.) (Jeff Farance)Daytona Beach News-Journal (Fl.) (Jeff Farance)
It's weirdly touching and horrifyingly hilarious. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Daytona Beach News-Journal (Fl.) (Jeff Farance)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Cinema Signals (Jules Brenner)Cinema Signals (Jules Brenner)
Best of all is Lauren Graham, who creates the emotional heart of a picture determined not to have one. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Cinema Signals (Jules Brenner)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Orlando Sentinel (Jay Boyar)Orlando Sentinel (Jay Boyar)
The cast is resourceful enough to keep the film at least watchable throughout. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Orlando Sentinel (Jay Boyar)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Las Vegas Weekly (Josh Bell)Las Vegas Weekly (Josh Bell)
Grinches and Scrooges everywhere have finally found a holiday movie to call their own. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Las Vegas Weekly (Josh Bell)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Slate (David Edelstein)Slate (David Edelstein)
Billy Bob Thornton's performance is--there's no other word--beautiful. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Slate (David Edelstein)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Peterborough This Week (Mike Sage)Peterborough This Week (Mike Sage)
you will laugh harder than you ever have at mentally challenged children, vertically challenged adults and the sanity-challenged elderly being cheated, abused and exploited ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Peterborough This Week (Mike Sage)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Movies for the Masses (Joseph Proimakis)Movies for the Masses (Joseph Proimakis)
full review in Greek ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Movies for the Masses (Joseph Proimakis)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Mediasharx (Marcus Ferrell)Mediasharx (Marcus Ferrell)
...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Mediasharx (Marcus Ferrell)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Radio Free Entertainment (Andrew Manning)Radio Free Entertainment (Andrew Manning)
Tony Cox as a hilarious, pint-sized guttermouth is the main attraction of this movie, which is somewhat more depressing than the trailers would have you believe. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Radio Free Entertainment (Andrew Manning)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.37 out of 4 stars for CineFile : il Cinema in Rete (Tommaso Tocci)CineFile : il Cinema in Rete (Tommaso Tocci)
Di film sul Natale ce ne sono tanti e ogni paese ha i suoi punti fermi della festività, come del resto ben sappiamo noi italiani. All'interno di questo grande filone, poi, c'è quello dei film che mirano a dissacrare l'evento e le convenzioni che gli ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at CineFile : il Cinema in Rete (Tommaso Tocci)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.36 out of 4 stars for Plugged InPlugged In
Play a round of free association with me for a minute. When you think of Christmas, what dances through your mind? Visions of sugarplums? Brightly lit evergreens, colorful presents, nativity scenes and figgy pudding? Well, director Terry Zwigoff wants to ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Plugged In
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.25 out of 4 stars for Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips Jr.)Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips Jr.)
Bad Santa is vulgar, crude, and offensive. It boasts no admirable characters and few redeeming moments. Most, if not all, of the characters are wracked with personality disorders. It's packed with foul language; Quentin Tarantino could take lessons on ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips Jr.)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.25 out of 4 stars for The Onion A.V. Club (Scott Tobias)The Onion A.V. Club (Scott Tobias)
There are exactly two big, heartwarming moments in Terry Zwigoff's gloriously rude black comedy Bad Santa: The first involves a raging, drunken mall Santa repeatedly punching an adolescent boy in the face, and the second centers on the delivery of a ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at The Onion A.V. Club (Scott Tobias)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.18 out of 4 stars for El Criticon (Antonio Méndez Casanova)El Criticon (Antonio Méndez Casanova)
"Bad Santa" es la nueva película de Terry Zwigoff, un realizador que interesó en su momento con la estupenda "Ghost World", y que vuelve a apostar por una historia de contenido bastante vitriólico, diseccionando la cara más deprimente de Estados ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at El Criticon (Antonio Méndez Casanova)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.08 out of 4 stars for Xi-online (Beri Shalmashi)Xi-online (Beri Shalmashi)
Elk jaar met kerst lichten Willie (gespeeld door Billy Bob Thornton) en Marcus (Tony Cox) de boel op. Marcus is een elfje en Willy is Santa. Bad Santa. Dit wordt een kerstknaller en dat moeten de producenten, niemand minder dan de gebroeders Coen, ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Xi-online (Beri Shalmashi)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL) (Jeffrey Westhoff)Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL) (Jeffrey Westhoff)
While often insanely funny, Bad Santa is a one-joke movie, and it oversells that joke. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL) (Jeffrey Westhoff)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for rec.arts.movies.reviews (Mark R. Leeper)rec.arts.movies.reviews (Mark R. Leeper)
This is a Christmas film like few that have ever been made, and it certainly gets points for originality, but it is mean-spirited, repetitious, and not very funny. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at rec.arts.movies.reviews (Mark R. Leeper)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Movie Boeuf (David N. Butterworth)Movie Boeuf (David N. Butterworth)
Drunk and disorderly. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Movie Boeuf (David N. Butterworth)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for eFilmCritic.com (Erik Childress)eFilmCritic.com (Erik Childress)
Fails miserably because Thornton's character is so woefully underwritten that his shtick becomes frustratingly tiresome after about 20 minutes. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Erik Childress)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for San Diego Union-Tribune (David Elliott)San Diego Union-Tribune (David Elliott)
Enjoy it, or avoid religiously. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at San Diego Union-Tribune (David Elliott)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Globe and Mail (Rick Groen)Globe and Mail (Rick Groen)
What's meant to be a live-action South Park just winds up in a scatological dead end. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Globe and Mail (Rick Groen)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Citysearch (Justin Hartung)Citysearch (Justin Hartung)
In the end, it's hard not to be impressed by the way Bad Santa rips into sanctimonious holiday traditions with the demented glee of an 8-year-old unwrapping an X-Box. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Citysearch (Justin Hartung)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Entertainment Spectrum (Vince Koehler)Entertainment Spectrum (Vince Koehler)
Don't bring the kids! This movie can offend, but many find the humor funny. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Entertainment Spectrum (Vince Koehler)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Mr. CrankyMr. Cranky
Spirited holiday moviegoers will be delighted to learn that Santa is actually a foul-mouthed criminal with a penchant for hard liquor and anal sex. Such is the shtick of "Bad Santa." Willie Soke (Billy Bob Thornton) gets hired as a department store ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Mr. Cranky
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Light Sleeper: Late Night Writings on CinemaLight Sleeper: Late Night Writings on Cinema
A film about the pain of living. Willie (Billy Bob Thornton) is at the end of the line. He’s in a cesspit and slowly sinking deeper. He tries to leave his drunken morally-vacant criminal life, tries to build something better for himself, but it’s not ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Light Sleeper: Late Night Writings on Cinema
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for JackassCritics.com (Grim Ringler)JackassCritics.com (Grim Ringler)
Once upon a time Santa was kicked out of his magical castle when Mrs. Claus found out he had slept with her sister. This was a sad occasion for St. Nick. So, being that he had nowhere to go, he took up residence with a young orphan boy who wanted nothing ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at JackassCritics.com (Grim Ringler)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for MovieJustice (Aldwyn Francis Champagne)MovieJustice (Aldwyn Francis Champagne)
...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at MovieJustice (Aldwyn Francis Champagne)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for PreViewed DVDPreViewed DVD
What's not to like? Bad Santa should be the perfect anti-holiday movie. First, it's from an idea from executive producers Joel and Ethan Coen (Barton Fink, Miller's Crossing, The Man Who Wasn't There, and others), it's directed by Terry Zwigoff (Crumb, ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at PreViewed DVD
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for DVD Town (John J. Puccio)DVD Town (John J. Puccio)
How old were you when you first realized or first discovered that there was no Santa Claus? Six? Eight? How old were you when you realized or discovered that not every Santa on every street corner and in every department store was as upright and squeaky ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at DVD Town (John J. Puccio)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for ToxicUniverse.com (Tony Pellum)ToxicUniverse.com (Tony Pellum)
Terry Zwigoff has never been interested in the conventional hero. R. Crumb, the comic book artist, perverse eccentric and central "protagonist" in Zwigoff's pet project, Crumb is, at best, the least bizarre of a deeply disturbed family. Enid (Thora ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at ToxicUniverse.com (Tony Pellum)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Wolf Entertainment Guide (William Wolf)Wolf Entertainment Guide (William Wolf)
Here's the in-your-face answer to super sweet holiday movies and it's not meant for the kiddies. This Santa, maliciously played by Billy Bob Thornton, is a drunk, a fornicator, a safe-cracker, a slob, a dispenser of non-stop profanity and a man who can't ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Wolf Entertainment Guide (William Wolf)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Toronto StarToronto Star
...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Toronto Star
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Mark R. LeeperMark R. Leeper
What would happen if a store Santa were not the kind of person that you would want around children? Suppose instead he was a totally selfish, degenerate alcoholic who had the wrong body build for Santa, was obviously drunk on duty, refused to wear the ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Mark R. Leeper
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for David N. ButterworthDavid N. Butterworth
How bad is "Bad Santa"? Pretty bad. It's definitely not for kids and, unless pervasive profanity in the face of our impressionable youth makes you titter, it's not really for adults either, discerning ones that is, since those tend to prefer a little ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at David N. Butterworth
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for City Pages (Rob Nelson)City Pages (Rob Nelson)
The red-hatted, beard-wearing character in Terry Zwigoff's Bad Santa is bad indeed. How bad is he? When we first encounter this degenerate St. Nick, a.k.a. Willie T. Stokes (Billy Bob Thornton), he's in a back alley puking up whatever holiday cheer he ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at City Pages (Rob Nelson)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Village Voice (Dennis Lim)Village Voice (Dennis Lim)
Bad Santa is a one-joke film; to his credit, Thornton embodies that joke with vicious, vaguely insane conviction. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Village Voice (Dennis Lim)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Cinopsis Cinopsis
Grossier, mal élevé, alcoolique, Willie a un job de père Noël dans les grands magasins. Mais lui et son compère Marcus, un nain, sont surtout des voleurs professionnels qui pillent les magasins qu'ils animent durant la période de Noël. Après un ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Cinopsis
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)
Aspires to the devilish crudity and unfettered social commentary of South Park. But Zwigoff's direction lacks the exaggerated cartoonishness necessary. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for New York Post (Lou Lumenick)New York Post (Lou Lumenick)
A determinedly raunchy holiday comedy about a libidinous, larcenous and perpetually soused St. Nick with a nonstop potty mouth. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at New York Post (Lou Lumenick)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 1.75 out of 4 stars for Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
First, let me get out of the way that I'm not giving Bad Santa a bad review because I found it morally repugnant or that I'm upset at yet another desecration of a beloved icon. It's not the fact that the film is vulgar that I dislike it so; it's the ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 1.75 out of 4 stars for Draxblog Movie ReviewsDraxblog Movie Reviews
The author of this review is among those people who are getting increasingly troubled with the whole concept of Christmas in modern world. What used to be a time of joy is now turning into unbearable emotional and financial burden, as well as ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Draxblog Movie Reviews
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 1.75 out of 4 stars for CinemaZone.dkCinemaZone.dk
Mængden af talent taget i betragtning burde Bad Santa have været årets skarpe og vittige højdepunkt på vej ind i julesæsonen, som godt kan nå at føles omklamrende i al sin insisterende hyggelighed. Måske netop udsigten til den kvælende ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at CinemaZone.dk
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for Projectionist (Sean Caszatt)Projectionist (Sean Caszatt)
...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Projectionist (Sean Caszatt)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for Film Values/Family Values (H. Arthur Taussig)Film Values/Family Values (H. Arthur Taussig)
...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Film Values/Family Values (H. Arthur Taussig)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for IGN Movies (KJB)IGN Movies (KJB)
A wildly uneven but occasionally funny blast of holiday ill-will. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at IGN Movies (KJB)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for Lee's Movie Info (Gareth J. Von Kallenbach)Lee's Movie Info (Gareth J. Von Kallenbach)
A Dysfunction Christmas Classic is here. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Lee's Movie Info (Gareth J. Von Kallenbach)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for Cinerina (Karina Montgomery)Cinerina (Karina Montgomery)
Bad Santa makes Fargo look like The Grinch, but with a killer soundtrack. See for yourself. But be warned. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Cinerina (Karina Montgomery)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for Sacramento News & Review (Mark Halverson)Sacramento News & Review (Mark Halverson)
Too much of it was just repellent, redundant or irrelevant. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Sacramento News & Review (Mark Halverson)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for NutzWorld (Blake French)NutzWorld (Blake French)
...if the idea of a drunken Santa Claus having rough anal sex with an obese prostitute doesn?t disturb you, then the sight of it will. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at NutzWorld (Blake French)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for Boxoffice Magazine (Ray Greene)Boxoffice Magazine (Ray Greene)
An unsubtle and even cynical exercise. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Boxoffice Magazine (Ray Greene)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 1.50 out of 4 stars for Denver Rocky Mountain News (Robert Denerstein)Denver Rocky Mountain News (Robert Denerstein)
The movie drags you into a dark- comedy alley and beats on you. ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Denver Rocky Mountain News (Robert Denerstein)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 1.50 out of 4 stars for One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
The notion of a cheerfully mean-spirited Christmas movie--one that turns the conventions of the sappy holiday fare audiences have been fed for decades on their head--is a great one, and it would be wonderful to report that “Bad Santa†fulfilled its ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 1.50 out of 4 stars for Movie Habit (Marty Mapes)Movie Habit (Marty Mapes)
Bad Santa is a very naughty, not-for-kids, black comedy. It seems well-intentioned — it tries to give an outlet to those who hate Christmas and resent having their noses rubbed in it. But in order for this comedy to work, it needs to drown in its ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Movie Habit (Marty Mapes)
Bad Santa (2003) scores a combined 1.50 out of 4 stars for Crazy for Cinema (Lisa Skrzyniarz)Crazy for Cinema (Lisa Skrzyniarz)
This holiday tale of misfits and woe has its' laugh-out-loud moments, but there aren’t enough of them to string together a full blown comedy hit. BAD SANTA expends much effort to be a Christmas flick for adults – a story without the requisite ...read the complete Bad Santa movie review at Crazy for Cinema (Lisa Skrzyniarz)
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Movie Reviews: Christmas
Bad Santa (2003) Reviews
Bad Santa (2003)

RANKINGS:

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Ratings and rankings are based on number of movie, review scores, awards & other criteria.
Overall Rating:
2.9053
Bad Santa (2003) is ranked overall as out of 4 stars
Avg Critic Score:
2.8464
Bad Santa (2003) is ranked overall as out of 4 stars
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