FILM REVIEW: Scrooged
 

Scrooged is a moden retelling of the old Scrooge/Christmas Carol story brought up to date. Bill Murray (who better?) plays the hateful, cynical TV executive Frank Cross that is the focus of this tale, and really comes across as a pretty horrible, mean guy at the film's start. Maybe it's a little strong given the rest of the Christmassy feel (well I think it is), but Bill Murray does it convincingly and you've no doubt this guy is an a-hole grade A.

He's as mean as they come, firing a poor little underling on Christmas eve, but then he gets visited by his former boss, and told he'll be visited by 3 ghosts.

It's when the ghosts appear that the fun begins.

Ghost of Christmas Past is a cigar-chewing, gruff cabbie, who growls his dialogue affably, and shows Frank how it all started.

Ghost of Christmas Present (my favourite) is Carol Kane as a fantastic, ditzy Christmas fairy with a propensity for unexpected violence. This is the section that is the most laugh-laden.

Finally, the ominous Ghost of Christmas Future shows Frank...well, what do you think, his future. It's not good.

Along with all this is a little parallel story involving his long-suffering secretary and her little boy Calvin who hasn't spoken in 5 years (our Tiny Tim, obviously).

Okay, like Scrooge, our villain/hero changes his spots and in a manic burst of energy shows he's got real heart and soul, making Christmas a happy place for lots of people again.

This is a reasonably good comedy that best watched around Christmas, with some good laughs and some suitably Christmas sentiment, and most will enjoy it.

And I will admit a manly tear coming to my eye when little Calvin says his first words in 5 years (yah, I know I'm being played for a sap, but I feel the happiness, so call me a sap, I don't care!). And it ends on a nice high.



OVERALL: 2.5
REWATCHABILITY: Yearly, at Christmas!
Adults and teens - some swearing, and a scary Ghost of Christmas Future


RATINGS (out of 5):
0 - This is a complete waste of time, and you will regret wasting it
1 - don't bother unless no other options at all
2 - okay for a single watch, if you've got time
3 - Definite watch if you get a chance
4 - See it very soon, at least once before you die
5 - See it immediately, no excuses


Opinions/comments/arguments please, especially if you think I missed anything worth of discussion/expansion, or violently agree or disagree.

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CHRISTMAS REVIEWS: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, Trading Places, It's a Wonderful life, A Christmas Story - all in the OOT Film/DVD/TV archive

Re: FILM REVIEW: Scrooged
 

I would rate this movie 1/2 star higher if they didn't have that stupid sing-a-long Annie Lennox ending. Otherwise, a nice update of a Dickens classic.

I imagine watching this with my kids and getting asked who is Mary Lou Retton and then trying to explain how the cabbie used to sing for a band called the New York Dolls.......