Scrooged

PG-13

Released Nov 23, 1988

1 hr. 41 min.

Holiday

Comedy

Fantasy

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List

71%

52 Reviews

Tomatometer

71%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In this modern take on Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," Frank Cross (Bill Murray) is a wildly successful television executive whose cold ambition and curmudgeonly nature has driven away the love of his life, Claire Phillips (Karen Allen). But after firing a staff member, Eliot Loudermilk (Bobcat Goldthwait), on Christmas Eve, Frank is visited by a series of ghosts who give him a chance to re-evaluate his actions and right the wrongs of his past.

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Critics Consensus

Scrooged gets by with Bill Murray and a dash of holiday spirit, although it's hampered by a markedly conflicted tone and an undercurrent of mean-spiritedness.

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Jeff M

For me, the make or break deal of any Scrooge adaptation, and I'm sure this is probably around number 842, is whether or not you believe Ebenezer's about-face at the end. In this case, I did not. There are some individually good scenes and performances, but in the end it didn't matter because I was left cold when my heart should have been rending and my eyes filling with tears. I know, I know... it's a comedy. But still, one should get a bit of the feels with a story like this. A lot of the problem lies with Murray, or my perception of Murray as a performer. I have a great deal of trouble taking him seriously - something like LOST IN TRANSLATION was a marvelous exception. When he's visiting past, present and future and we see the tears well up in his eyes, I'm just waiting for a smart aleck retort to soon follow. It's virtually impossible to make an emotional connection to him here. That being said, lots of bits and pieces work well. I loved the skewering of bad Christmas TV. I loved the warmth that Allen and Woodard bring to their limited roles - Allen has a smile that could melt the coldest of hearts. I liked Carol Kane as the Ghost of Christmas Present although the masochism got to be a little bit much at the end. Heck, I even thought Bobcat Goldthwait was tolerable. This is not unwatchable by any means, but in the pantheon of Dickens adaptations, this is probably toward the middle, at best. (UPDATE: I originally gave this **1/2 but after a re-watch decided to increase it to ***. I still basically agree with my assessment, but I think I was a bit hard on Murray, and everything seemed to work just a little bit better than I thought upon my first viewing. I even found myself a bit verklempt at the end. And that Karen Allen smile continues to melt my heart.)

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/10/24

Full Review

Blu B

It's really good and really well made overall. This moves at a really fast pace. the only thing is the cinematography while still solid thanks to the crazy antics, solid effects, and memorable scenes can feel a bit messy at times and really lacking a style to anything. It definitely doesn't feel like a Christmas film half the time visually and could've been improved in that department. The other issue is sometimes the drastic and sudden change in tone from zaney Burton like comedy to sentimental scenes can be very jarring and sudden with no segway. It definitely could've been smoother. However it's easy to overlook because it's solidly funny tthe whole way through for the most part and Murray does a great job as does the whole cast. Allen is really likeable also. The humor and crazy scenes are memorable and work but sometimes it can feel like it's dumbing down (or being too mean) the source material at times especially scenes with the Ghost of Christmas Present which is arguably the weakest part. She isn't bad but definitely isn't that funny and extreme crass slapstick isn't what Dickens had in mine when he wrote this I'm sure. However, it succeeds at being a modern 80's take on a timeless tale. anyone who is a fan of the source material, any actors in this, the director, or Christmas flicks will like this.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/07/24

Full Review

P F

It's rare that there isn't a bad performance in a movie but this film is an exception. Everyone does a great job in their part. Many critics have said Scrooged remains a favourite to those who want a cynical alternative to the period piece versions of A Christmas Carol. When film versions of previous adaptations have contained the same darkness as Charles Dickens's story I have to disagree. The reason I think Scrooged is more accessible to certain audiences is because they relate to the updated take on the source material rather than Dickens's Nineteenth Century atmosphere. It's not such a bad thing if they're well-made adaptations so you can learn to appreciate them. Scrooged is the modern update that feels as relevant today as it did back on release. The strength of this movie and the reason it is seen as a holiday classic is because Murray, Donner and everyone involved have crafted a Christmas movie with excellent comedy but also with a huge heart. It may not be everyone's go-to Christmas movie but as an alternative, there is none better.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/03/24

Full Review

Emmett H

Bill Murray's delivery, which is what makes him so funny, is on full display here: it's perfect. I honestly don't think this would be a comedy if any other actor played his part.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/03/24

Full Review

Kaleb A

In my opinion this is the best / funniest Christmas movie of all time and by far the best Scrooge adaptation. It is a must watch for my family around the holiday season. If you're looking for a unique take on the classic Scrooge story that is filled with fun laughs and heart this is a perfect movie!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/27/23

Full Review

Courtney P

How are there any bad reviews for this movie? I'm utterly baffled. This is a take on Dickens' _A Christmas Carol_, and it's not only hilarious, (still) timely, but also uplifting with a great message. I cannot imagine *how* anyone couldn't love this movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/25/23

Full Review

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Richard Donner

Director

Bill Murray

Francis Xavier Cross

Karen Allen

Claire Phillips

John Forsythe

Lew Hayward

John Glover

Bryce Cummings

Bobcat Goldthwait

Eliot Loudermilk

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Scrooged: Official Clip - Taxi Ride From Hell

2:13

Scrooged: Official Clip - Crazy Like a Fox

2:11

Scrooged: Official Clip - Marketing With Terror

1:30

Scrooged: Official Clip - Five Pounds of Veal

1:32

Scrooged: Official Clip - A Visit from Lew

2:13

Scrooged: Official Clip - The Truth is Painful

1:41

Scrooged: Official Clip - Death in an Elevator

0:50

Scrooged: Official Clip - A Christmas Miracle

2:13

Scrooged: Official Clip - I Have to Kill All of You

1:25

Scrooged: Official Clip - Towels for Christmas

2:12

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Scrooged: Trailer 1

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Ryan Murphy

Miami Herald

Despite a lengthy wind-up that promises to deliver at least a minor tug at the heart, Scrooged is as sterile as some of the film's sexist gross-out jokes.

Rated: 2/4

Aug 17, 2021

Full Review

Sheila Benson

Los Angeles Times

It's not a bad notion for a satiric comedy and this one begins well, but then veers entirely out of hand until it's as over-inflated as its own Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come and as funny as a mugging.

Nov 19, 2019

Full Review

Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

On balance... Bill Murray's lazy humor carries the movie up until his genuinely sweet relationship with an old girlfriend.

Rated: 3/4

Nov 19, 2019

Full Review

Kristy Strouse

Film Inquiry

Despite Murray's impeccable portrayal of sneering meanness, the film masterfully strikes a careful balance between heartfelt moments and hilarity.

Jan 12, 2024

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

It’s the sort of picture where it’s easy to understand the POV of both its fans and its detractors, and I myself have over the decades gone from believing it was slightly underrated to now believing it to be slightly overrated.

Rated: 3/4

Nov 12, 2023

Full Review

Douglas Davidson

Elements of Madness

Even if one doesn’t have enough interest in the 4K UHD aspect to snag this new edition, the film itself holds up so well in any format as to make the time spent with Frank always feel worth it.

Nov 5, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

In this modern take on Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," Frank Cross (Bill Murray) is a wildly successful television executive whose cold ambition and curmudgeonly nature has driven away the love of his life, Claire Phillips (Karen Allen). But after firing a staff member, Eliot Loudermilk (Bobcat Goldthwait), on Christmas Eve, Frank is visited by a series of ghosts who give him a chance to re-evaluate his actions and right the wrongs of his past.

Director: Richard Donner
Executive Producer: Stephen J. Roth
Screenwriter: Mitch Glazer, Michael O'Donoghue
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Holiday, Comedy, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 23, 1988, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 6, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $58.2M
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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