Richard Donner directs Bill Murray, Karen Allen and Bobcat Goldthwait in this mega budget yuppie update of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. 

My sister and me used to be in hysterics whenever we watched the sequence where Bill Murray is beaten up and abused by Carol Kane’s surface cutesy-wootsy Ghost of Christmas Present. That and a few glaringly tightly scripted farcical sequences aside, Donner shows zero flair for comedy direction. He’s a blockbuster kinda guy, the production has been overinflated with cameos, stunts and model work to match that. Classic Bill Murray grinching, spirited support and a feel good sing song finale cover up the fact that this has many more bulky FX than effective jokes, more scale than heart. Still, Murray suits the OTT production like butter suits toast, his perfect casting keeps the whole carnival train tightly on the rails. Considered a misfire on release, it has aged well. Turkey curry, chunky yet satisfying, ready to be devoured like the best leftovers ever.

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My Top 10 Bill Murray Movies

1 Ghostbusters (1984)
2 Quick Change (1990)
3 Rushmore (1998)
4 Groundhog Day (1993)

5 Ed Wood (1994)
6 The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
7 The Jungle Book (2016)
8 Kingpin (1996)
9 What About Bob? (1991)
10 Mad Dog and Glory (1993)