Stars: Ben Affleck, James Gandolfini, Christina Applegate, Catherine O'Hara, Josh Zuckerman, Bill Macy, Danielle Panabaker, Bryan Fisher

Director: Mike Mitchell

Summary: Drew Latham is a wealthy marketing executive who is fed up with spending Christmas alone every year. But the Valco family - parents Tom and Christine, and their two kids Brian and Alicia - who live in Drew's old family home, have each other. When Drew's idea of spending Christmas in Fiji is turned down by his girlfriend, he decides to revisit his old neighbourhood in an attempt to muster up some feelings of seasonal cheer. The Valcos' life of suburban tranquillity is rudely interrupted when Drew turns up on their doorstep and offers them 250,000 U.S. Dollars if they'll let him stay with them over the holiday period. A lawyer swiftly draws up a contract, with the main stipulation stating the family must provide Drew with a sense of 'Yuletide glee.' What could be easier than that? Well, quite a lot it seems, as the unenthusiastic group is dragged through the seasonal mire by the demanding Drew. Eventually the tension turns to laughter, however, and family matters take a turn for the better as director Mike Mitchell ('Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo') brings 'Surviving Christmas' to a poignant close. With Tom and Christine patching up their marital problems by using Drew as a conduit for their troubles, and daughter Alicia developing a blossoming romance with the now-welcome house guest, Drew manages to inadvertently trigger the seasonal joy he'd been trying so hard to discover.

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Reviewed by: mcdermot7@aol.com
Posted on May 9, 2006 4:37 PM

Christmas films are either fantastic, Miracle of 34th Street, Wonderful Life or downright scmaltz. This is neither. You will survive watching it but do not eat too much turkey beforehand or you will find it repeating on you.

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Aspect Ratio:	1.85 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	HBO First Look Surviving Christmas, Alternate Opening Sequence, Storyboard Gallery
Subtitles:	German
Release Date:	December 5, 2005
Runtime:	87 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	830 266 8
Keywords:	Christmas, Comedy, General, Surviving
Genre:	Comedy