Fat Man (2020)

Directed by: Eshom Nelms, Ian Nelms | 95 minutes | action, comedy | Actors: Walton Goggins, Mel Gibson, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Chance Hurstfield, Paulino Nunes, Shaun Benson, Deborah Grover, Michelle Lang, Michael Dickson, Mark Day, Ekaterina Baker, Bill Turnbull, Bill Lake, Eldon Hunter, Robert Bockstael, Mikael Conde, Ellison Grier Butler, Xavier Sotelo, Sean Tucker, Robert Reynolds, John Tokatlidis

Chris Cringle (Mel Gibson) lives with his wife Ruth (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) in snow-covered Alaska, where they run a Christmas gift factory in the woods. At first glance Chris looks perfectly normal, but looks can be deceiving. Chris is none other than Santa Claus and his factory is home to hundreds of toiling elves. Handing out parcels has been his job since time immemorial, but Chris is starting to dread it more and more with each passing year. He’s been realizing for some time now that Christmas has become a commercial joke and that today’s kids aren’t all that nice. As if his annoyances aren’t big enough, Chris has also had to sign a contract with the US government, with the intention of giving the economy a big stir. His loyal elves are now forced to produce parts for fighter jets, while their factory is guarded day and night by armed soldiers.

Meanwhile, 12-year-old Billy Wenan (Chance Hurstfield) only receives a lump of coal for Christmas. Comes from a wealthy household, Billy likes to boss his servants while stealing money from his disabled grandmother. Not satisfied with his present, Billy is quick to take revenge. He hires an unnamed assassin (Walton Goggins) and orders him to kill Santa Claus. Billy would like to have a souvenir of this annoying ”Fatman”. Preferably his head, but in the end, because of the chance of rotting, his coat is chosen. The hit man is only too happy to take on this task, because like Billy, he still has a bone to pick with Chris Cringle.

Brothers Eshom and Ian Helms’ new film is hard to categorize. On the one hand, ‘Fatman’ is reminiscent of the early works of the Coen brothers, notably ‘Blood Simple’ (1986) and ‘Fargo’ (1996). On the other hand, their black comedy is also a Christmas movie, making it reminiscent of genre misfits like ‘The Ref’ (1994) and ‘Bad Santa’ (2003). And the trailer and promotional material for the film promise something completely different, namely an action movie. Ultimately, ‘Fatman’ can be categorized under all these headings, as the film is a veritable mishmash of different styles and genres, which changes color every time like a chameleon. The film is therefore not always equally balanced, but admittedly, it is invariably unique.

There are two reasons that make ‘Fatman’ worth watching: Mel Gibson and Walton Goggins. Gibson plays an ever grumpy Santa Claus here, full of fatigue and cynicism. He still somewhat comes to life in the presence of his wife Ruth, but for the rest he doesn’t care much anymore. Gibson embodies this dejection perfectly. It is a genuine role from the actor and although it is sometimes a little strange to see him as Santa Claus, he always comes across convincingly. The action star will probably never completely lose his ‘Lethal Weapon’ persona, but with these kinds of roles he makes a good attempt. Goggins also does a good job as the assassin with a vendetta. He is very comical in the role of antagonist, partly due to his serious attitude towards his absurd mission. Goggins never tries to be funny in the role, which just makes his performance more comical. As a viewer, for example, it’s hard not to grin as he prepares for his mission, precisely because it’s all so out of touch with reality. In many other comedies, the hit man would at some point start laughing at the craziness of it all, but this doesn’t happen here, which makes his part in the movie all the more enjoyable.

If you’re looking for a Christmas movie for adults, full of anarchy and rarities, ‘Fatman’ is recommended. The film embraces its bizarre story and offers plenty of action and comedy. For those looking for underlying motives, this is a less suitable film. ‘Fatman’ has very little to offer in that respect. The film sometimes tries somewhat clumsily to provide socially critical subtext, but this ultimately lingers on the surface. A somewhat missed opportunity, as the film would be fine with a little more depth. Still, this shouldn’t spoil the fun too much, because Gibson and Goggins steal every second, making ‘Fatman’ really worth watching. Highly recommended for those who want to see a non-traditional Christmas movie.