REVIEW: A Christmas Carol with Bill Murray

MATTHEW STEFANSON
Arts Writer

For the most part, A Christmas Carol is a bad story.

It’s outdated, it’s overdone and it’s boring. Or, at the very least, it’s made boring by how overdone it is; the classic Dickens tale has been retold by everyone from the Muppets to the Pinchbottom Burlesque company of New York. It’s been beaten to death with no return in sight until, that is, you add one important element into the mix.

Bill. Fucking. Murray.

I grew up watching Ghostbusters on repeat, so I knew Murray simply as Dr. Peter Venkman, the fast talking scientist. That may be why I have always loved Scrooged, in which Murray plays that same fast talking scientist, only this time his science is television. And no one likes him.

The movie is a testament to the greed and decadence of the ’80s. It’s a marathon of television excess, large explosions, Lee Majors and Solid Gold Dancers’ nipples. It is about as far from a picturesque Christmas as you can get, and at the centre of all of this is Bill Murray. 

Murray’s character, Frank Cross, is a high-powered ’80s television executive. He has big hair, big ideas and absolutely no patience for charity or kindness. He’s a caricature of Ebenezer, but that’s okay; the story is a cliché anyway so you can’t let it scare you away from Murray’s charming performance. 

And Murray does charm you. He’s the most despicable type of person — almost cartoonishly evil — but no matter how often he says or does terrible things, Murray’s character is delightful because he’s just playing the same character he always does.

The guy never changes; he just varies his level of depression. Ghostbusters: super happy Bill Murray. Lost In Translation: super sad Bill Murray. The important thing to remember is that it may be familiar, but also fantastic. He doesn’t need to switch it up. He’s got a good thing going.

Oh yeah, and it’s also appropriately heartwarming and all of that Christmas stuff that you need for a holiday movie. Well, at least the last few minutes are.

The best part of the movie? It comes complete with it’s own drinking game. Google the rules, cue up the movie and enjoy.

I guess if you want to be festive, you could drink eggnog or hot apple cider or something. Or you could swill down Frank Cross’ signature drink, Tab and Vodka at a 1:10 ratio.