A review by JAMES SOUTHALL

In one of the dumbest of Christmas movies (which is saying something), Surviving Christmas sees Ben Affleck play a very wealthy man who has no family, so he decides to get a substitute one by paying the family now living in his childhood home to stay with them over Christmas.  Family members include James Gandolfini, who looks like he would rather be doing anything else, and Christina Applegate - my, how she's developed.  Who'd have thought the director of Deuce Bigalow - Male Gigalo would be capable of producing something as low-brow as this.

The album starts with six Christmas songs which range from the sublime (Andy Williams's "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year") to the ridiculous (the "Beef Wellington Remix" of Bing Crosby's "Happy Holidays"), and also feature the indescribably "Feliz Navidad" sung by Jose Feliciano.  After those we get just over twenty minutes of original score by Randy Edelman.  It's a delightful effort - pretty throwaway, perhaps - but full of the requisite Christmas magic.  Edelman cleverly incorporates some traditional Christmas tunes and carols into a few bits of his score and comes up with some great original material as well.

The tender, magical moments of the score are a joy, with particular highlights including the gorgeous "Kissed by a Snowflake", the beautifully warm "By the Fireside" and tender "Ice Storm".  Elsewhere there is more overtly comedic music as well, including the fun little "Salami and Bagels" and "Two-Fifty Large", which wouldn't sound out of place in a mafia film; "Airport Madness" is a wonderful John Williams-like piece; "Shopping Spree" a catchy little bit of pop music; "Toboggans and Helicopters" is the score's "biggest" piece, and a great one at that, plain and simple entertaining film music.  

Of course, there's a big finale, with "Christmas Pageant" full of the kind of thing you would expect.  Surviving Christmas sees Edelman in delightful form, crafting some truly delightful music.  It's hardly going to go down as a significant score, but it's certainly a lovely and highly entertaining one.  Recommended.

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Tracks

1. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Andy Williams (2:19)
2. Jingle Bell Rock Chet Atkins (1:44)
3. Santa Claus is Comin' To Town Lou Rawls (2:56)
4. Feliz Navidad Jose Feliciano (3:06)
5. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Judy Garland (2:48)
6. Happy Holidays (Beef Wellington Remix) Bing Crosby (3:16)
7. Kissed by a Snowflake (2:30)
8. House Arrival (:58)
9. Airport Madness (1:46)
10. Telling a Story (1:26)
11. Salami and Bagels (1:05)
12. Pop the Old Head (1:12)
13. By the Fireside (1:19)
14. Shopping Spree (:48)
15. Ice Storm (1:06)
16. Loving You All Over (1:40)
17. Two-Fifty Large (:40)
18. Toboggans and Helicopters (1:11)
19. I Like It (1:11)
20. A New Phone System (1:40)
21. Smelling Fear (1:03)
22. Christmas Pageant (2:11)