MovieChat Forums > Scrooged (1988) Discussion > Better than the sanitised Groundhog Day.

Better than the sanitised Groundhog Day.

posted 8 years ago by Picnic10
3 replies | jump to latest

Scrooged is dark, edgy, urban, multicultural, unexpected. It graciously wears its influence, A Christmas Carol, directly on its sleeve so that it can subvert it.

Groundhog Day is countrified, sanitised, white, repetitive by its nature. It apes its stylistic predecessors, like It's A Wonderful Life, with no gracious acknowledgment, instead inviting us to regard it as a romantic comedy above all so, if Andie McDowell, or desperate search for a 1 on 1 romantic bubble and to heck with anyone else, or 1940s/1950s part pastiche, part homage, don't float your boat, it sinks.

[–] Kotter7579 8 years ago

Also what wrecks Groundhog Day is that McDowell is a weak lead for a female love interest. Her being in it makes me not want to watch it.

That would make 3 Christmas' I've saved, vs. 8 that I've ruined; two were kind of a draw..

[–] Stratego (30583) 6 years ago

"Also what wrecks Groundhog Day is that McDowell is a weak lead for a female love interest. Her being in it makes me not want to watch it."

So true!

[–] Melton (4731) a year ago

WRONG! Scrooged is decent but was a dry run for Groundhog Day. Scrooged is a mixed bag but in Groundhog they perfected the formula and made a perfect film, a classic for the ages.

Scrooged is tonally awkward and Murray is on steroids, it’s manic and zany and doesn’t always land with its emotional and comedy beats. His speech at the end resembles a mental breakdown and was largely improvised. It’s a fun take on A Christmas Carol but will only ever be an also-ran.

Groundhog Day is its own beast. It’s based on the Buddhist idea of enlightenment through reincarnation and doesn’t need all the crazy special effects. It can just sit with the actors, who are not on cocaine, and find loads of hilarious little details. The feelgood ending is incredible, and contrary to what misguided folk on here have said, Andie McDowell aces it as Rita. She’s ropey in Four Weddings, but in GD she’s believable and charming, reacting perfectly to Murray’s madness.