Naughty: Bad Santa (2003)
Never judge a book by its cover, but always judge a Christmas movie by its Santa. Billy Bob Thornton, as Willie T. Soke, portrays arguably the crudest department store Santa Claus in history. Telling a child on your lap that you contracted a disease from sleeping with Mrs. Claus’s sister and then showing up to work drunk is sacrilegious to anyone who celebrates Christmas. The movie takes an exceptionally dark turn when Willie attempts suicide—something no Christmas story should have to endure. While preteen Thurman Merman (Brett Kelly) ultimately gains the gift of lasting friendship with Willie and the confidence to stand up to his bullies, it only comes after Willie is shot by the police while wearing his Santa costume and Thurman flips off his harasser. You can’t slap a few ornaments on a lump of coal and call it anything but naughty.
