Bah, Humbug
If you don't give a Dickens about the various traditional adaptations of "A Christmas Carol" and enjoy those movies which attempt to re-imagine and update the story of Ebenezer Scrooge you might, and I do mean might, enjoy "Miracle at Christmas - Ebbie's Story". But there is just as much chance that you will dislike it and sadly I'm in the dislike group as whilst I generally enjoy movies which update Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" I did not enjoy "Miracle at Christmas - Ebbie's Story". It's just too cheesy for words and whilst it has some nice touches with Jeffrey DeMunn delivering an entertaining take on the Marley character for the most it fails.
It is Christmas Eve and Elizabeth 'Ebbie' Scrooge (Susan Lucci) only cares about the bottom line when it comes to her department store and the only reason she cares for Christmas is because that's when they make the most money. But as she returns to her apartment she thinks she sees her deceased partner Jake Marley (Jeffrey DeMunn) and then he miraculously appears to warn her of a life of misery which lies ahead if she doesn't change her way.
So here we go again with another movie which takes Dickens famous story and updates it this time with Ebenezer becoming a woman called Elizabeth 'Ebbie' Scrooge. Scrooge is not the only one who has had a sex change in this update as Bob Cratchet becomes Roberta 'Robbie' Cratchet, Ebbie's assistant. And there are some other changes as well especially when it comes to Ebbie's past and her relationship with her parents and her sister. But the basic storyline, the familiar scenes such as Cratchet's daughter calling Scrooge mean are all tossed in there in one form or another.
The trouble with "Miracle at Christmas - Ebbie's Story" is not what they have done in re-imagining Dickens' story to a 1995 setting, in fact the whole idea of Scrooge owning a department store has potential. Nope the trouble is that it is so soft, so passionless and so full of cheesy music and cheesy dialogue that it struggles to get your attention in the first place let alone keep hold of it. Maybe the idea was to soften the storyline and go for sweet and charming but it doesn't achieve it, coming across as uncomfortably false instead.
The one good thing going on in "Miracle at Christmas - Ebbie's Story", well most of the casting is good with Susan Lucci making an interesting female Scrooge whilst Molly Parker is charming in the duel role of sister and niece. But the best performance comes from Jeffrey DeMunn who thanks to the special effects makes for a kind of convincing Marley.
What this all boils down to is that "Miracle at Christmas - Ebbie's Story" did little for me as it borders too much on the cheesy and overly soft. It has some nice ideas but for the most it struggles and that makes it a struggle to watch.
Tags: TV Christmas Movies, Christmas Movies, A Christmas Carol
