How do we survive Christmas?

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
German title How do we survive Christmas?
Original title Surviving Christmas
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 2004
length 91 minutes
Age rating FSK 0
Rod
Director Mike Mitchell
script Deborah Kaplan ,
Jeffrey Ventimilia ,
Joshua Sternin ,
Harry Elfont
production Betty Thomas ,
Jenno Topping
music Randy Edelman
camera Peter Lyons Collister ,
Tom Priestley Jr.
cut Craig McKay
occupation

How do we survive Christmas? (Alternative title: Jingle Bells - Eine Familie zum Fest ) is a 2004 comedy film with Ben Affleck in the lead role.

action

Just before Christmas, eccentric millionaire Drew Latham takes a tour of the house where he grew up. The middle-class Valco family now lives in the house and offers Drew money to let him live with them over Christmas and play his family. The Valcos agree to it and Drew has the terms contractually set.

Tom and Christine Valco are Drew's parents for the Christmas holidays, the teenager Brian Valco plays Drew's little brother. Since Drew has stipulated in the contract that the Valcos must prepare him a wonderful Christmas party with all traditions, the family is forced to do Christmas shopping with Drew, decorate a huge tree and sing Christmas carols , which especially family man Tom to the edge that brings despair. Things get complicated when Alicia, the grown-up daughter of the Valcos, whom Drew didn't know about before, suddenly appears at the door. She is anything but enthusiastic about the unusual addition to the family. To compensate for this, Drew quickly hires an actor who plays Doo-Dah, the cranky grandfather of the family.

Little by little, Drew and Alicia grow closer and Drew becomes more and more part of the family. He gets Tom and Christine to fulfill some of their dreams. Tom buys an old car with which he associates special memories, and Christine has erotic photos taken of himself. Drew learns that Tom and Christine had major marital problems and were considering divorce before showing up.

When Drew accidentally hurt Alicia's feelings on Christmas Eve, he wants to leave the family, but suddenly his girlfriend Missy and her parents are at the door and want to get to know his family. The Valcos are ready to continue the act, but the evening turns into a disaster as the jealous Alicia constantly makes ambiguous references. When Brian finds the erotic photos of his mother on the Internet, Tom leaves the house angrily and Missy's parents drive away in horror. Drew breaks up with Missy afterwards, since he has realized a lot. He speaks to Tom's conscience and makes him reconcile with his wife. Afterward, Drew confesses his feelings to Alicia and the two become a happy couple for life. Drew really belongs to the family now.

background

The film was made without a complete script, so many scenes are improvised.

Reviews

Carrie Rickey describes the film in the Philadelphia Inquirer as "a complete disaster".

Wesley Morris writes in the Boston Globe : "This film shows exactly what is wrong in Hollywood."

“Unoriginal, poorly witty and lovelessly staged comedy full of clumsy punchlines, which is blindly heading for the inevitable happy ending. The disappointing main actor adapts to the level of the sloppily cobbled together holiday film. "

- Lexicon of international film

Awards

The film was nominated for the negative film award Golden Raspberry in the following categories:

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Release certificate for How do we survive Christmas? Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry , November 2004 (PDF; test number: 100 315 K).
  2. ↑ Review by Carrie Rickey
  3. ^ Critique by Wesley Morris
  4. ↑ How do we survive Christmas? In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used