Scrooged

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Scrooged is available in Australia on BINGE, and in the US on Hoopla right now. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. With 1,710 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Bill Murray's performance alone is worth the time investment. Start it on BINGE whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Scrooged arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The jokes in Scrooged land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. Frank Cross is a wildly successful television executive whose cold ambition and curmudgeonly nature has driven away the love of his life. But after firing a staff member 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. Bill Murray and Karen Allen lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1988. What keeps Scrooged from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Scrooged respects your intelligence. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Bill Murray is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.