Updated / modern-day adaptations of A Christmas Carol are not uncommon anymore. Most are usually U.S. centric and produced. An English modern-day adaptation was refreshing when it was made. It still is as it reaches its twenty-first year. 2000’s A Christmas Carol, originally presented on ITV, still isn’t available on a home release though it’s still widely televised. It’s available to stream on Amazon Prime. This is only the second time I’ve included it in an annual ACC/Scrooge countdown blog.

A warning from me: though I’m only inserting a brief synopsis, there will be some spoilers. However, I’m keeping this synopsis brief to prevent what would be major spoilers and revealing other original aspects in this adaptation.

Edward “Eddie” Scrooge (Ross Kemp) is a loan shark that takes advantage of the residents of a depressed council estate in contemporary London. The story opens with the shooting death of Jacob Marley by an unseen assailant. We see that it is actually Eddie Scrooge dreaming about the death of Marley, his partner. (We later see this dream is recurring.) On Christmas Eve, Eddie makes his rounds on the estate attempting collections, doing repossessions, all while ignoring both Holiday alms collectors and those around him seeking and needing help. In tow is his bookkeeping assistant, Bob Cratchit. The story introduces us to the various residents in debt to Scrooge. An original touch is Jacob Marley’s mother among the alms collectors. She appears intermittently in the movie.

Contrasting with loan shark Scrooge is his nephew, Dave, who happens to be a policeman. There is the expected scene of nephew Dave inviting his Uncle Eddie to Christmas dinner. While in the pub, Scrooge also sees his former girlfriend, Bella (Angeline Ball from The Commitments).

The events of the day shown with Scrooge are important in this adaptation.

On the council estate are posters asking for information about the unsolved death of Marley. As Scrooge stares at Marley’s picture on a poster, Marley’s face comes to life and says, “Eddie.” This was a nice update of the classic door knocker from the traditional story. Marley appears in Eddie’s flat and tells him to expect three ghosts.

In this version, the Ghosts are people who Eddie knows. However, the Ghosts are not doppelgangers. (An overdone tactic used in a handful of other adaptations). They are the actual spirits of people connected to Eddie’s life.

The Ghost of Christmas Past is Eddie’s father. He first appears on Eddie’s television screen and then punches through the screen to step out of the television. “It’s a bummer of a job” his father says to him. His ghost father begins showing Eddie the expected personal past events, such as the childhood that shaped him and his former relationship with Bella.

When Eddie asks, “Why are you showing me this stuff?” his father replies, “Don’t ask me. I’m not in charge.” He shortly tells him, “I’ve been sent here to remind you that life is full of second chances.” This sentence is the key theme of this version: the second chance. Second chances has always been one of the themes of A Christmas Carol but from this point onwards, it is prominent in this adaptation. This version presents a Scrooge that does not like himself and is convinced he cannot change.

At the point of expecting the Ghost of Christmas Present, there is an interesting twist in the story. It’s becomes reminiscent of the film Ground Hog Day (or any other recent movie containing looping events). He wakes in his flat believing he had a dream and it’s now the next day. When he leaves the flat, he soon realizes it’s still Christmas Eve and he’s reliving the day. Once he realizes this, he wakes once more at home but with Marley’s ghost beside him. Marley acts as the Ghost of Christmas Present. When Eddie challenges Marley also acting as the present ghost, Marley replies, “Whatever, I double up. It’s the busiest time of the year…haunting wise.”

After viewing what he needs to see in the present, such as the Cratchit family, including son Tim with cystic fibrosis, Eddie asks, “So, have we finished the tour of the sad people yet?” Not quite. Scrooge relives the day more than once. What is different from any other adaption is one sequence where Eddie is actually able to interact and communicate with the people in a half-hearted attempt at reformation.

This modern adaptation presents a twist with the metaphorical children of Ignorance and Want in the guise of two sick, homeless teenaged siblings that are important to the story.

Finally, he wakes once more to instead encounter the Ghost of the Future. “Don’t you people ever give up?” he asks. I don’t want to give away much about the future ghost, but I will say that the first time I watched this, I guessed whom the spirit is. As is with most every A Christmas Carol, the future visit ends with Scrooge seeing his lonely, near-future grave.

I want to note here that this is yet another of an increased amount of versions that intends for Scrooge and his past love to reunite.

I find other viewers opinions on this version to vary greatly. Some viewers and fans really don’t like it. I remain on the positive side with this one. It is one of the better modern-day adaptions done. It has originality while remaining true to most of its source’s intent. It’s worth watching.