Scrooged, dir. Richard Donner (1988)

NIKKI says:
We were in the mood for a good old comedy. This was my choice night, and damn did I go through hell. I wanted an old favourite, but I couldn't decide if I wanted old Nikki favourite, or old Steve and Nikki favourite. After choosing and rejecting about 10 movies, I finally settled on The Lost Boys, put it in the player and then promptly picked Scrooged instead.

How funny is Scrooged? I think Bill Murray is my all-time favourite comedy actor. He's just funny, even when he's not speaking. I love his eyes, his expressions, his crazy movements. I especially love caustic Bill Murray, which, I suppose back in the day, was all he really did. Someone was on to something. This character is basically the same as Phil Connors from Groundhog Day -- just an insufferable jerk, only out for himself. Then something happens and he's forced to see the good in other people, and himself. Aww. But Bill does this so convincingly, and with very little schmaltz.

God, movies were so much better in '80s! They could be darker, more sarcastic, they didn't have to star the hottest people and look the sharpest. It's just good, silly fun.

My Top Five Favourite Bill Murray Lines from Scrooged
5. "I never liked a girl well enough to give her 12 sharp knives."
4. "Did you try staples?"
3. "I CARE!"
2. "Well, I'm sure Charles Dickens would have wanted to see her nipples."
1. "Blam! Blam! Blam! Blaaaa-hhh-yaaahm!"

4/5 -- Comedy as it should be.

STEVE says:

Right up there with A Muppet Christmas Carol, Scrooged is one of the better adaptations of Dickens' "immortal classic". Rumour has it, though, that Bill Murray isn't such a fan.

Apparently, he and Donner didn't get along so well on-set. Murray thought the film was getting too dark at times, feels it's uneven in terms of the comedy and the drama. Whether this is true or not, I don't know, but I think this contrast is the reason the movie works so well. Takes you from high to low in seconds.

My only issue is that bits of it are severely dated. The Richard Pryor gag. The Solid Gold Dancers, ferchrissakes. Still, Murray's impression of Richard Burton just beats it all.

4/5