2 of 3

Write now Article Tools

If you like your Christmas movies with a twist then Scrooged might be right up your alley. It has to be one of the blackest comedies I have ever seen,and it certainly burned itself completely into my memories as a child when watching it the first few times. To me it is a classic.

Some critics such as Ebert think the main character here is too nasty to be enjoyable. I understand the perspective in a way but for me it was the polar opposite. I thought he elevated the material a great deal. I respect the fact that he went all out and gave us no easy ins in terms of finding something to like about him.

I thought the spin on Charles Dickens "A Christmas Tale" was well done and that in many ways it enhanced the story upon which it was based.

If you are not familiar with the story it involves a wealthy man named Scrooge who is very greedy/selfish being visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. These are the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. They visit to warn Scrooge about the consequences of his attitude to himself and others around him. The ending should be obvious. It is a classic tale and certainly one of our Christmas archetypes.

Bill Murray was a real powerhouse in this. He took lines that would have made me cringe were they delivered any other way and hit just the right tone with this material throughout. He transitioned from detached and cruel to extremely troubled to overtaken with bliss and was convincing every step of the way. I consider it a tour de force comedic performance.

(slight spoiler in this next paragraph) There was a line that bothered me in this movie, just a bit. "I am sorry. I thought you were Richard Pryor." You will know it when you see it. I love this movie and it will be a Christmas Tradition for me from now until I die, but this one line, upon watching it tonight for the first time since I was a kid, did not sit well with me. Thankfully he falls leaving about two seconds later and the absolute golden hilarity of that moment sweeps the bad taste under the carpet rather effortlessly.

I love this film enough that I am entertaining the idea of not buying this movie to make it more special on Christmas, since it is usually always on some channel or other. It is nice knowing you are not watching it alone and that in fact there are thousands who are seeing it and being converted for the first time!

I would give this a strong three and a half stars out of four.

Learn more about this author, Royce Radcliffe.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Movie reviews: Scrooged?
We want to hear your view. Write now!