Bad Santa Director's Cut
December 2006 Reviewed by: Anthony Di Marco Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

Bad Santa has a sharp edge yet delivers more Christmas spirit than the sickly-sweet chestnuts that clog the Yuletide airwaves. Billy Bob Thornton and a classic ensemble cast demonstrate how even the darkest and crudest individuals can find redemption when they can be honest about their flaws and open their hearts a little.

Willie Stokes and his partner Marcus are career criminals who knock over a department store each Christmas Eve while masquerading as a Santa and Elf duo. The plan goes smoothly until 8-year-old Thurman Merman comes by to convey his Christmas wishes. Willie, at first annoyed, begins to see himself through the eyes of the troubled boy, which scares him into reevaluating his chosen path. The story is funny and sharp because it makes the Kringle team’s vulgar antics and the boy’s psychosis seem almost tolerable against the backdrop of the vulgar commercialism of the holiday season.

Despite his flaws, Willie is the most genuine among a collection of characters that hide behind pretty clothing and apparent stability. John Ritter plays an apathetic store manager so crippled by political correctness that he considers public sodomy a person’s choice, and Bernie Mac’s well-dressed but constipated security guard is no different than the scheming elf Marcus. Both men conceal jet-black hearts below their righteous self-confidence.

The relationship between Willie and the boy is what makes this story great. Where other films would exorcise Willie’s and the boy’s demons for the obligatory happy ending, the Director’s Cut creates an unflinching view of deeply damaged individuals. The original "feel good" ending, depicting the boy exacting revenge on a bully, is gone, along with embellishments meant to sweeten things up. Willie doesn’t turn into George Bailey and earn his wings; rather he provides a little stability and companionship in the boy’s pitiful existence.

Video quality is very good, if not absolutely sharp. Saturated colors contrast nicely against rich, noise-free blacks. A clean Dolby Digital soundtrack favors crisp center-channel dialogue with front- and rear-channel fill.

The "Behind the Scenes Featurette" is recycled marketing drivel full of empty praise. The commentary by director Terry Zwigoff and editor Robert Hoffman saves this lame set of extras from embarrassment. The filmmakers spend less time eulogizing and more time conveying their creative choices and experiences. Zwigoff’s resentment toward the studio and test audiences who castrated the original film is as unabashed as Willie’s anger toward a bothersome soccer mom and her precocious child. Yet, in the spirit of the coming season, Zwigoff seems genuinely thankful he had a second chance to realize his original vision. I’m thankful too.

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