Directed by:
Mike MitchellComposer:
Randy EdelmanCast:
Ben Affleck, James Gandolfini, Christina Applegate, Catherine O'Hara, Josh Zuckerman, Bill Macy, Jennifer Morrison, Udo Kier, David Selby, Stephanie Faracy (more)VOD (4)
Plots(1)
Drew Latham (Ben Affleck) is a wealthy marketing executive who is fed up with spending Christmas alone every year. But the Valco family--parents Tom (James Gandolfini) and Christine (Catherine O'Hara), and their two kids Brian (Josh Zuckerman) and Alicia (Christina Applegate)--who live in Drew's old family home, have each other. When Drew's idea of spending Christmas in Fiji is turned down by his girlfriend, he decides to revisit his old neighborhood in an attempt to muster up some feelings of seasonal cheer. The Valcos' life of suburban tranquility is rudely interrupted when Drew turns up on their doorstep and offers them $250,000 if they'll let him stay with them over the holiday period. A lawyer swiftly draws up a contract, with the main stipulation stating the family must provide Drew with a sense of "Yuletide glee." What could be easier than that? Well, quite a lot it seems, as the unenthusiastic group is dragged through the seasonal mire by the demanding Drew. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (1)
Ben Affleck's latest flop, which our distributors prudently took their hands off after the overwhelming overseas reviews and zero audience response, is an unbelievable abomination. The story of a millionaire (Affleck) who feels lonely during the Christmas holidays and therefore hires a family of strangers to keep him company is a bunch of nonsense, trying in vain to be humorous, or at least to get a fleeting smile. I don't have anything against Affleck, but the title 'Surviving Affleck' would be more appropriate, because what he does here would put down even a hardened masochist. Apparently under the illusion that he has comedic talent, he overacts in an utterly disgusting way, and watching his mime gymnastics is perhaps even worse than medieval torture (must be seen in the original version). I almost felt sorry for him. I read an interview with Affleck somewhere where he said: "You know when I know something is wrong with my acting career? When I catch myself talking the producers into making a sequel to Daredevil.” Come on Ben, it's about time you started begging for Gigli and this 'swan song'.
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