Bad Santa (2003)
Coming Out at 26 November 2003 in theaters
Comedy, Crime, Drama
Bad Santa is Christmas black comedy film directed by Terry Zwigoff and written by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. It stars Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, Lauren Graham, Brett Kelly, Lauren Tom, John Ritter, and Bernie Mac. It was Ritter’s last live-action film appearance before his death on September 11, 2003 (his remaining final films, Clifford’s Really Big Movie and Stanley’s Dinosaur Round-Up, were animated films); the film was dedicated to his memory. The Coen brothers are credited as executive producers. The film was released in the United States on November 26, 2003, and was screened out of competition at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. It received generally positive reviews and was a commercial success.

An unrated version was released on DVD on March 5, 2004 and on Blu-ray Disc on November 20, 2007 as Bad(der) Santa. A director’s cut DVD was released in November 2006; it features Zwigoff’s cut of the film (including an audio commentary with him and the film’s editor), which is three minutes shorter than the theatrical cut and ten minutes shorter than the unrated version. A sequel, Bad Santa 2, was released on November 23, 2016.

Willie T. Soke (Billy Bob Thornton) and his dwarf assistant Marcus Skidmore (Tony Cox) are professional thieves. Every year, Willie gets a job as a department store Santa Claus and Marcus as an elf to rob shopping malls at night, with Marcus’ wife Lois (Lauren Tom) as their getaway driver. Marcus takes his elf duties seriously, but Willie, a sex-addicted alcoholic, is gradually unable to perform with children, also affecting his safe-cracking abilities, much to Marcus’s displeasure. When they are hired at the Saguaro Square Mall in Phoenix, Willie’s vulgarity shocks the prudish mall manager Bob Chipeska (John Ritter), who brings them to the attention of security chief Gin Slagel (Bernie Mac).
Director: Terry Zwigoff
Writers: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Bernie Mac, Lauren Graham, Lauren Tom, Tony Cox
Cast:
Billy Bob Thornton | … | Willie |
Tony Cox | … | Marcus |
Brett Kelly | … | The Kid |
Lauren Graham | … | Sue |
Lauren Tom | … | Lois |
Bernie Mac | … | Gin |
John Ritter | … | Bob Chipeska |
Ajay Naidu | … | Hindustani Troublemaker |
Lorna Scott | … | Milwaukee Mother |
Harrison Bieker | … | Milwaukee Boy |
Alex Borstein | … | Milwaukee Mom with Photo |
Alexandra Korhan | … | Girl on Santa’s Lap |
Dylan Charles | … | Milwaukee Bratty Boy |
Billy Gardell | … | Milwaukee Security Guard |
Lisa Ross | … | Milwaukee Bartender |
Bryan Callen | … | Miami Bartender |
Tom McGowan | … | Harrison |
Grace Calderon | … | Big Booty Woman |
Christine Pichardo | … | Photo Elf |
Bucky Dominick | … | Nintendo Deer Hunter 3 Boy |
Georgia Eskew | … | Barbie Girl |
Hayden Bromberg | … | Fraggle-Stick Boy |
Max Van Ville | … | Skateboard Bully |
Briana Norton | … | Pinball Girl |
Octavia Spencer | … | Opal |
Hallie Singleton | … | Woman in Food Court |
Ryan Pinkston | … | Shoplifter |
Natsuko Ohama | … | Pedicurist |
Dave Adams | … | Prison Guard |
Ethan Phillips | … | Roger Merman |
Joey Saravia | … | Pokemon Child |
Cody Strauch | … | Watching Boy |
Marshall Dvorin | … | Watching Boy |
Curtis Taylor | … | Phoenix Security Guard |
John Bunnell | … | Police Chief |
Joe Bucaro III | … | Sergeant |
Dylan Cash | … | Kid on Bike |
Cloris Leachman | … | Grandma |
Matt Walsh | … | Herb |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia