It was never quite clear if Affleck's character was meant to be mentally challenged.

Getting $250,000 for allowing Ben Affleck to live with me sounds like fair compensation.

ben affleck screaming is truly iconic

I have sat through many bad films in my day and after a long period of really nothing extremely terrible, "Surviving Christmas" came out on top as the worst films in a while. The plot is something interesting but doesn't work as a whole, Ben Affleck is really unlikable in this and really annoying and the film is really unrealistic and very unfunny through every act. It would probably make more sense to watch this in the December and not in September but either way, I don't really ever see myself ever liking this thing in any time of the year and it's really the definition of junk.

This movie was released at the wrong time, back when Affleck was having his career on the down (fuck you Jennifer Lopez), and automatically it was panned. But watch it, its actually hilarious.

Full of one liners and slapstick comedy of Christmas Vacation similarities, Surviving Christmas is always one of my favourite Christmas movies. Affleck is brilliant as Drew Latham, an eccentric millionaire who rents a family for Christmas. Remember, this movie was done mostly on improv and its hilarious. How can this not be loved more?

Surprising cameo from Jen Morrison also made me smile. I couldn't remember her in this at all.

Easily passed on, but it shouldn't be ignored. Great fun viewing.

Ben Affleck and his over the top demeanor crack me up throughout this entire film. Widely panned everywhere else, but loved in my home every Christmas season.

This movie is OK... Meh.

christina applegate made the movie worth a watch but.. ugh this was really bad

Works?

I really kinda wish this movie had found its audience. Seriously, this is kind of a lost gem. Yes, it's got a rotten moral core. That's the point. This is a black comedy about the way we delusionally fixate on rituals and romanticize the holidays. It's a rare mainstream comic lead for Affleck, whose tarnished image at the time likely destroyed its chances, and he tears into it. He's backed up by a first rate cast. It's definitely formulaic and it gets sappier than it needs to be, but it deserves better than it got.

this wasn't awful but it sure was boring as fuck.....

Came for Catherine O Hara but was confused by the mentally challenged confusion of Affleck's character. I am certain this film could be redone as a deranged cult classic horror movie and it would be all the better for it. Nothing is particularly bad, but things don't exactly gel properly either as it doesn't go nuts enough to be proper funny and then shoves too much sentimentality in the wrong places.
Drinking Game : Affleck's character acting like he needs hospitalisation.
Bottom Line : Mid of the road rom-com with a Chrimbo theme but nothing to really break the mould aside from a few good one liners.

6/10

I did this for Benjamin.