- Film Review
- Reviewed By Jeremy Aspinall
-
3 out of 5
If Christmas brings out the "bah, humbug" in you, then this pitch-black comedy from indie film-maker Terry Zwigoff (Crumb, Ghost World) will be right up your alley. Flouting the sentimental spirit of the season and then some, it stars Billy Bob Thornton as Willie T Stokes, a grouchy, alcoholic safe-cracker who works as a department store Santa so he can rob his employers with the help of his "elf" sidekick (Tony Cox). On one last job, the foul-mouthed, determinedly child-unfriendly Stokes becomes involved with a Santa-loving barmaid (Lauren Graham) and a lonely, bullied, overweight boy (Brett Kelly) who is apparently immune to the river of profanity coming out of Stokes's mouth. Sounds like a recipe for a feel-good ending, but Zwigoff resists that temptation, and with Thornton giving a terrific deadpan performance, this is the perfect antidote to the usual saccharine Christmas confection.
Plot Summary
Black comedy starring Billy Bob Thornton as Willie T Stokes, a foul-mouthed, alcoholic, safe-cracker who targets shopping malls by working as a holiday Saint Nick. As he and his elf-playing sidekick attempt to perform the scam one last time, Stokes becomes involved with a Santa-loving barmaid and a lonely, overweight kid.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Willie T Stokes
- Billy Bob Thornton
- Marcus
- Tony Cox
- The Kid
- Brett Kelly
- Sue
- Lauren Graham
- Lois
- Lauren Tom
- Gin
- Bernie Mac
- Bob Chipeska
- John Ritter
- Hindustani troublemaker
- Ajay Naidu
- Milwaukee Mom with photo
- Alex Borstein
- Grandmother
- Cloris Leachman
Crew
- Director
- Terry Zwigoff
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