Surviving Christmas

Surviving Christmas - **1/2

From the director of "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigalo", Surviving Christmas is also in the vein of the choppy comedies that are charming in one moment and morbid in the next. Ben Affleck delivers one of his most forgettable performances yet as Drew Latham, the eccentric millionair who rents a family for the Christmas holidays to get over his own loneliness. Backing him up are 3 superb actors, James Gandolfini, Christina Applegate and Catherine O'Hara, who along with Josh Zuckerman play the Valco family. Despite an interesting premise and charming moments, this is one of those ambiguous Christmas comedies unsure of what it wants to be. I can't remember one really good laugh throughout the entire film, and the performances are all that hold it together. Thumbs down.