One of the highlights of "Ghosts of Christmas Always" is its awareness of its source material. Ian Harding as Peter even tells the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future which film adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" he likes best: Bill Murray's 1988 film "Scrooged." Like Murray's version, "Ghosts of Christmas Always" uses Ebenezer Scrooge's name as a verb, though it applies to healing the Scrooge-like qualities in someone, rather than making them more crotchety, as it might sound.
As a fan of Charles Dickens' original story, Peter is thrilled to be getting "Scrooged." Though he still has a super relatable reaction to hearing the news; he asks, "Am I Scrooge? Do people hate me?"
The meta angle works well for the film, making Peter come off as a bit of a fanboy. When he realizes who his visitors are, he says in genuine excitement, "Wait a minute, are you...? It's nearly Christmas, there are three of you..." He continues, "I have seen the play, I have seen all the movies!" Though he loves Murray's version best, he expresses his appreciation for Hallmark's own "It's Christmas, Carol!" starring Carrie Fisher. He calls it "a quiet little movie, underrated!"
This self-referential nod to the channel, along with the film's smart comedic pacing, make "Ghosts of Christmas Always" a stand-out this Christmas season. And the excellent chemistry between Ian Harding and Kim Matula seals the deal.
