Surviving Christmas

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2:15

Surviving Christmas

PG-13

2004

1h 31m

Holiday

Comedy

Romance

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

8%

Tomatometer

111 Reviews

31%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

A wealthy executive, Drew Latham has no close relationships and becomes nostalgic for his childhood home as Christmas approaches. When he visits the house and finds another family living there, he offers the residents, Tom Valco and his wife, Christine, a large sum of money to pretend they are his parents. Soon Drew tests the couple's patience, and, when their daughter, Alicia, arrives, things get increasingly tense.

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Critics Consensus

Surviving Christmas is unpleasant characters attacking each other for 90 minutes before delivering a typical, hollow anti-consumerist message

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Dec 28, 2010

1/5

You'll be lucky if you survive this dumb movie.

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J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

Mar 5, 2007

Pique on earth and ill will toward men permeate this mirthless comedy.

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David Germain

Associated Press

Mar 5, 2007

The movie is dead from the outset given the artificiality of the premise about a lonely rich guy who hires the folks living in his boyhood home to be his family for the holidays.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Dec 12, 2025

1.5/4

In 2003, moviegoers received a gift in the form of Bad Santa; the following year, they got a lump of coal in the shape of a Bad Movie.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Dec 31, 2021

2.5/4

...erratic yet mostly watchable...

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Eddie Harrison

The List

Apr 23, 2019

1/5

Tasteless, miserable and utterly flaccid, Surviving Christmas truly lives up to its reputation as the last turkey in the shop.

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Ryan D

@PissJug Jul 22, 2026

This my favorite Christmas movie. It's hilarious! I watch it every year around Christmas time. If you're looking for a comedy movie that is Christmas themed this is the one. Quit watching Christmas Vacation over and over and check this movie out.

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Jason R

@J-Rush1411 Jun 25, 2026

Obnoxious rich guy, so Ben Affleck, pays to spend Christmas in his childhood home, then one thing after another happens in this christmas film

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Tyler D

@Notanostslgiacritic Jan 1, 2026

"This movie can eat doo-dah."

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Generic P

@NoRep404 Dec 25, 2025

Back when Ben Affleck was surprisingly watchable (minus Daredevil in this particular era of time). The film was eccentric and quirky to say the lest; almost a National Lampoon tale. The only aspect I'd changed was the romantic one: Affleck's character should've ended up without a love interest altogether, but gained the family he didn't have. Ultimately, it'd been refreshing to see his character get his balls busted for his general egotism, but his character wasn't even really greedy to begin with - just too unreserved and unaware of the effects of how his interactions with others made them feel when he amplifies himself; which is normal for somebody socially awkward to over-extend themselves to compensate. Had sympathy for all the characters really, though a few didn't have alot of development. 'Critics' were far too harsh on this, and yet compare it to other far raunchier films being somehow more quality... Bah, humbug to them. If we voted on "Critics" ratings, they'd get ratio'd.

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Melissa L

@Agent99 Dec 22, 2025

I, as well as my fiance, thought this was a GREAT movie! I have no idea why there are so many poor ratings. It's a great holiday movie.

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Lester P

@Uzdforc Dec 21, 2025

Don't know why this movie is so low rated. It's a great Christmas movie with a solid cast. Ben Affleck is not the best in it, but the story is relatable and there's some good laughs.

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Mike Mitchell

Director

Ben Affleck

Drew Latham

James Gandolfini

Tom Valco

Christina Applegate

Alicia Valco

Catherine O'Hara

Christine Valco

Josh Zuckerman

Brian Valco

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2:15

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Synopsis

A wealthy executive, Drew Latham has no close relationships and becomes nostalgic for his childhood home as Christmas approaches. When he visits the house and finds another family living there, he offers the residents, Tom Valco and his wife, Christine, a large sum of money to pretend they are his parents. Soon Drew tests the couple's patience, and, when their daughter, Alicia, arrives, things get increasingly tense.

Director: Mike Mitchell
Producer: Betty Thomas, Jenno Topping
Screenwriter: Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont
Distributor: DreamWorks SKG
Production Co: DreamWorks SKG, Tall Trees Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Brief Drug References|Sexual Content)
Genre: Holiday, Comedy, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 22, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 26, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $11.2M
Runtime: 1h 31m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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