Surviving Christmas Review

by Jon Popick (jpopick AT sick-boy DOT com)
October 22nd, 2004
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Did someone mention sucking? It must be a coincidence that I just segued into the Surviving Christmas review. I mean, a movie about Christmas that is being released before Halloween is bound to be a classic, right? With Ben Affleck? I mean, people aren't at all tired of him. Why else would his last three films (Gigli, Jersey Girl, Paycheck) have a 70 rating over at Rotten Tomatoes? Oh, 70 total? Jesus Christ on a pogo stick, why is this tool still being given the opportunity to say lines in front of a camera?
Like in Gigli, Affleck plays a successful but spiritually empty businessman. Tragedy strikes not in a dead wife, but via a pre-holidays dumping from girlfriend Missy (Jennifer Morrison). This sends Affleck's Drew spiraling into a strange mental place where he returns to his childhood home and bribes the family currently living there to pretend to be his kin through Christmas night. Hilarity ensues. About two times.

The family, already on the verge of busting apart like Star Jones's slacks, is put through the ringer as Drew forces them to shop for a Christmas tree and roast chestnuts. But something tells me Drew's antics will ultimately bring this family closer together. And maybe, just maybe, he'll get a little somethin' somethin' from his new "sister" (Christina Applegate). And hopefully it will all happen before you hang yourself right there in the theatre.

More on 'Surviving Christmas'...

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