--- title: "Scrooged: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/scrooged/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/scrooged" critics_score: 53 critics_reviews: 12 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Scrooged (1988): what the critics said Critics' score 53 from 12 reviews: 3 positive, 5 mixed, 4 negative. The available reviews lean mixed, with praise clustering around Bill Murray’s abrasive performance rather than the film as a whole. Even some detractors find him funny when the character is allowed to be unpleasant, while supporters welcome the dark comedy and supernatural elements. Several reviews also find individual gags or supporting performances worth singling out, though there is little agreement on how well these pleasures hold together. The divide is wide: Collider warmly endorses the combination of Murray, dark humour and gothic horror, while Variety finds the comedy largely unfunny, making an exception for Carol Kane. Sentimentality is a recurring complaint across otherwise differing assessments, alongside concerns about muddled adaptation and mean-spirited excess. The disagreement concerns not just how many jokes work, but whether the abrasive comedy can support the warmer material. Four of the twelve listed reviews have no accessible verdict, limiting what can be said about their contribution. ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be verified. The available text only shows a browser-check message. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/scrooged-1988) ## The New Yorker — Pauline Kael Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 12 December 1988. The archive identifies Kael’s item as a review but does not reveal her verdict. It names Scrooged among three films but gives no specific praise or complaint. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1988/12/12) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 11 December 2018. The page could not be read, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. No praise or complaint can be identified from the accessible content. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/11/movies/scrooged-review.html) ## Time Out — BC Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It also provides no detail about what the critic praises or criticizes. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/scrooged) ## Radio Times — John Ferguson Rating 3/5. The review finds the film a missed opportunity as its dark opening gives way to sentimentality. It praises Bill Murray’s sour-faced performance and notes that some of the gags still work. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-lunuer/scrooged/) ## Empire — William Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The review is largely negative, finding the film funny mainly when Bill Murray plays its lead as a bastard. It praises the opening attack on Santa’s workshop and David Johansen’s cab-driver ghost, but criticizes the sentimental ending and wasted Robert Mitchum. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/scrooged-review/) ## Vulture — Alden Ford Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 20 May 2018. Ford finds that much of the comedy works, but concludes the film is a messy adaptation that falls short of its source. He singles out Bill Murray’s improvised closing monologue as the one moment that truly does justice to the story. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2010/12/the-finally-screenings-i-just-saw-scrooged-for-the-first-time.html) ## Los Angeles Times — SHEILA BENSON Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 23 November 1988. Benson finds the film starts promisingly but spirals into an overblown, mean-spirited mess. She singles out Alfre Woodard’s performance as the film’s one fully persuasive element. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-11-23-ca-223-story.html) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1987. The critic finds the comedy appallingly unfunny, with only a few mild laughs. Carol Kane’s performance as the Ghost of Christmas Present is singled out as the comic highlight. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1987/film/reviews/scrooged-1200427470/) ## Collider — Phil Brown Rating A-. 16 November 2011. The critic calls Scrooged one of the best holiday comedies, though its sentimental, predictable ending keeps it from becoming a classic. He praises Bill Murray’s performance and the film’s dark comedy and gothic horror elements. [Read the review](https://collider.com/scrooged-blu-ray-review/) ## Eye for Film — Gator MacReady Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 25 December 2005. The critic warmly endorses the film as funny and meaningful, making it a personal Christmas tradition. He especially praises Richard Donner’s supernatural-fantasy direction and Bill Murray’s manic performance. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/scrooged-film-review-by-gator-macready) ## The Ringer — Rob Harvilla Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 23 November 2018. Harvilla argues that Scrooged remains a fitting, crowd-pleasing Christmas movie despite its abrasive excesses. He singles out Bill Murray’s ferociously loud performance as both unnerving and glorious. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2018/11/23/movies/scrooged-30th-anniversary-bill-murray-christmas-movie) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/scrooged.md