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Scrooged
Generally unfavorable reviews
Based on 14 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 6 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Comedy | Fantasy
Written by:
Charles Dickens (novel "A Christmas Carol")
Mitch Glazer
Michael O'Donoghue
Directed by: Richard Donner
Release Date:
Theatrical: November 23, 1988
DVD: November 9, 1999
Running Time: 101 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: PG-13 for profanity, mild violence and adult humor
Starring Bill Murray, Karen Allen, John Forsythe, John Glover, Bob Goldthwait, Alfre Woodard, Carol Kane, and Robert Mitchum
High-spirited high jinks on Christmas Eve put Frank Cross in a ghostly time warp in this take-off of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Cross, who has made the meteoric rise from the depths of the mailroom to TV network president, is mean, nasty, uncaring, unforgiving and has a sadistic sense of humor - perfect qualities for a modern-day Scrooge. Before the night is over, he'll be visited by a maniacal New York cab driver from the past, a present-day fairy who's into pratfalls and, finally, a ghoulish seven-foot-headless messenger from the future. (Paramount Pictures)
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Boston Globe Jay Carr
Scrooged is that rarest of contemporary Hollywood phenomena -- a Christmas movie with Christmas spirit. [23 Nov 1988, p.21]
Chicago Tribune Gene Siskel
The film works very well, providing lots of laughs, in its first half, setting up the Bill Murray character and his callousness. For a Christmas Eve special he wants to staple antlers on a mouse. [25 Nov 1988, p.A]
San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle
Scrooged doesn't pack the wallop of "A Christmas Carol" - you won't cry or walk out resolving to become a better person - but it's a funny and imaginative high-class effort. Best of all, it stars Bill Murray, who has only to raise an eyebrow to get laughs. [23 Nov 1988, p.E1]
Washington Post Joe Brown
This is not a "good movie" -- in fact, it's a sprawling mess -- but I like it. And I mean that sincerely, you knucklehead.
Read Full Review >Empire Staff (Not Credited)
Murray doing what he does best, if you like that sort of thing.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Vincent Canby
Scrooged works in fits and starts. The mundane demands of the sentimental story keep interrupting what are, essentially, revue sketches, a few of which are hilarious.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Staff (Not Credited)
Neither Scrooged nor Murray, who is front and center throughout, is particularly funny.
Read Full Review >USA Today Donna Britt
Scrooged is so monumental a mess that even rabid Bill Murray fans - the ones who'll stand in line to see it despite critics' inevitable bashings - will wonder how it went so wrong. [23 Nov 1988, p. 9D]
Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
Scrooged is one of the most disquieting, unsettling films to come along in quite some time. It was obviously intended as a comedy, but there is little comic about it, and indeed the movie's overriding emotions seem to be pain and anger.
Read Full Review >The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Jay Scott
In Scrooged, a sub-Saturday Night Live re-make parody of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Ghostbuster Bill Murray busts up two of the festive ghosts (Christmas Past and Future) and mugs more than Mr. Magoo. [24 Nov 1988, p.C19]
Los Angeles Times Sheila Benson
Actually 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. [23 Nov 1988, p.1]
Washington Post Hal Hinson
Irony is the movie's escape hatch. It allows the filmmakers to stage maudlin bits and, at the same time, signal the audience that they're too cool to actually believe in them. Their cool is all-purpose, and it carries with it a note of genuine nastiness. They manipulate us into a sentimental response, then kick us in the teeth for buying it.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum
Tacky in the extreme, this self-congratulatory 1988 film is an exercise in hypocrisy, indulging every form of Christmas exploitation that it pretends to attack, and many of the laughs are forced.
Read Full Review >Variety Staff (Not Credited)
Scrooged is an appallingly unfunny comedy, and a vivid illustration of the fact that money can't buy you laughs. Its stocking spilling with big names and production values galore, this updating of Dickens' A Christmas Carol into the world of cutthroat network television is, one episode apart, able to generate only a few mild chuckles.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 9.5 (out of 10) based on 6 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
David G. gave it a10:
This is such a frickin' funny movie. I love this movie. I must have watched it a hundred times. I guess it's not for everyone, but I personally love the smug sarcastic acting of Bill Murray. I swear he is funny all the way to his bones. I believe that this movie will turn out like Jimmy Stewart's, "Its a Wonderful Life." It was panned when it was first released but it is now a classic. Scrooged, in my opinion, is already up there with "It's a wonderful Life," "A Christmas Story," Miracle on 34th Street." etc. Personally I think the critics need to get panned or at least hit with a toaster. <-- reference to the movie Be sure to party hardy Marty. If you don't like it then I guess it "Just doesn't matter." Much love, Dave.
Michael gave it a10:
A 38 rating? Seriously? This is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. For the first half of the film, the jokes are fast, sharp, and timeless. It's dark humor at its best, and Bill Murray's best role by a landslide. The critics were out of their damned minds.
Ben K gave it a9:
Simply awesome. Fun. Critics expect too much and find too little.
Ronny G gave it a10:
This is a Christmas classic. For the millionth time, this only proves that Critics stick their noses so high in the air, they can't even watch the movies the review. I never have, nor never will, have ANY respect for movie Critics. Some of the best movies get the worst reviews, all because the Critics are too busy receiving bribes to give horrible movies great reviews, and great movies horrible reviews. They also lack the ability to say WHY it's a bad movie. New York Times and Los Angeles Times = Epic Fail.
Dylan P. gave it a9:
What were the reviewers smoking? Scrooged is one of the true modern Christmas classics. Bill Murray is pitch-perfect as Frank Cross--nasty and Scrooge-like while still charming and hilarious. Great cameos from everyone from Brian Doyle Murray to Lee Majors to Bobcat Goldwait, and a genuine emotional ending make this one to watch every year.
