Ebenezer

They say some stories have to power to stand the test of time. Apparently, some can also withstand countless adaptations. For those keeping score, Dracula has appeared in more than 250 film and TV productions, with Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol close behind at more than 130. Everyone from Mickey Mouse, George C. Scott, Patrick Stewart to the Muppets has taken on the tale of Scrooge and his resistance to kindness, generosity, and, of course, Christmas. Now Ti West and Johnny Depp are adding their version to the list, and they’re bringing plenty of gothic atmosphere with them.

You know the story. Ebenezer Scrooge (Johnny Depp) is hardly anyone’s idea of good company. He runs his own business and pays his lone clerk, Bob Cratchit (Rupert Grint), as little as possible. Bob isn’t the only person on the receiving end of his bitterness. Scrooge barely tolerates his nephew, Fred (Sam Claflin), and would much rather sit alone at home than spend Christmas with anyone.

But Scrooge is about to get a second chance. The ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley (Ian McKellen), arrives with a warning: three spirits will visit him, offering a chance to avoid Marley’s miserable fate. The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come take Scrooge through the life he’s lived, the pain he’s caused, and the lonely future waiting for him if he refuses to change. Thankfully, there’s still time for the old miser to find his Christmas spirit.

Written by Nathaniel Halpern, Ebenezer is a fairly straightforward adaptation, but West pushes the material into darker territory. In his hands, it becomes a full-on ghost story—and one of the less “family-friendly” versions I’ve seen. That approach gives the movie much of its appeal. The production design is gorgeous, pulling you into the streets and shadows of 1843 London. Add the costumes, and it’s easy to lose yourself in this darker corner of Dickens’s world.

For all that atmosphere, though, something keeps Ebenezer from being really good. For me, unfortunately  it’s Depp. His performance is more restrained than I thought it would be, but there’s little about it that stands out. It feels by the numbers, leaving the film without the compelling Scrooge it needs. His transformation never quite feels earned, and the journey toward it is rushed in places and surprisingly dull in others.

The supporting cast fares better, especially Grint. He brings an easy, unforced humanity to Bob Cratchit that makes you care about him without feeling pushed to do so. His warmth is welcomed in a movie that can otherwise feel emotionally distant.

There’s usually something cozy about returning to A Christmas Carol every few years, even when an adaptation leans into its darker side. West captures the darkness, but the warmth doesn’t land with the same force. There are things to admire here, particularly the world he and his production team have created, but they aren’t enough to make this version memorable. With so many adaptations to choose from, your time would be better spent revisiting one of the classics.

Brian Taylor

Member of the North Texas Film Critics Association, and lover of all things Cinema