Raunchy comedies are not my cup of tea, so it should not be a surprise that I despise films like this.  But allow me to give credit where credit is due — old pros Billy Bob Thornton and Kathy Bates certainly dedicate themselves to their art, joyfully humiliating themselves in the name of awful comedy.  Hopefully they were well paid.

Mark Waters’ film reunites mortal enemies Willie Soke (Thornton) and midget Marcus Skidmore (Tony Cox), whose Santa Claus / Elf partnership ended so badly in Bad Santa (2003), along with the goofy kid (Brett Kelly) Willie befriended.  This time they all get involved with Willie’s crazy punk mother (Kathy Bates) in Chicago (actually Montreal) and robbing a fancy charity at Christmastime.  Willie also falls for the charity’s pretty leader (Christina Hendricks, slumming in the same manner as Lauren Graham in the original).  Naturally, things do not work out as planned, and any sense of sentimentalism is hammered into the dust.

Fans of this type of profane, constant humiliation comedy will love it — Billy Bob is nothing if not professional, and Kathy Bates demeans herself with aplomb.  I just found it painful to watch most of the time.  Willie has one really nice moment when he hears the goofy kid sing at the Christmas concert — moments like this help redeem all the vocal pestilence of the script.  I may have laughed a few times but I don’t recall; I do remember rolling my eyes and wondering what I was going to have for dinner.

So why did I bother?  I’ll watch almost anything, especially if I like the stars.  Billy Bob Thornton is an exceptional actor; watch Sling Blade or A Simple Plan for proof if you need it.  I do wish he would have passed on these Bad Santa movies, but he must feel a kinship for former safecrackers at Christmastime.  Or his sense of comedy is different from mine.  Whatever; you have been warned.  ☆.  7 December 2016.