Bad Santa

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Bad Santa is available in Australia on Stan, and in the US on HBO Max Amazon Channel and YouTube TV right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 2,414 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Billy Bob Thornton is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Put it on tonight on Stan and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Bad Santa earns its spot. Bad Santa gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. You'd better watch out - Willie T. Soke is coming to town, and he doesn't care if you've been naughty or nice. Willie's favorite holiday tradition is to fill his sacks with loot lifted from shopping malls across the country. Billy Bob Thornton and Tony Cox lead a cast that never overplays a joke. It was released in 2003. The timing in Bad Santa is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Bad Santa is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Billy Bob Thornton is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.