Johnny Depp has been persona non grata in Hollywood for nearly a decade, but he’s slowly been inching his way back into its good graces. The biggest step by far is Ebenezer, the latest adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and directed by horror maestro Ti West. Does the world need another version of this well-worn, oft-adapted holiday tale? Probably not, because it’s been done every way that one can imagine. To be honest, West doesn’t bring much that’s new to the table. It’s Depp’s performance, and the potential for this as a true comeback, that is the film’s biggest draw.
Ebenezer is a reminder that Depp is a true talent, and his ability to play odd, eccentric fringe characters remains at a peak. His version of Ebenezer Scrooge, the greedy old miser visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve, is deeply weird and perfectly suited for West’s dark take on Victorian society. Penned by Nathaniel Halpern, the film is the second this week that directly tackles the wealth disparity in the world (the other being How to Rob a Bank) and still feels very relevant despite the original novella being published in the 19th century.
The familiar story remains largely the same, and so are its most crucial lessons. Scrooge thumbs his nose at the less fortunate, openly urges the imprisonment or even death of the poor, and mistreats his clerk, Bob Cratchit, played by Rupert Grint. That is until he’s visited by three spirits: the Ghost of Christmas Past (Andrea Riseborough), the Ghost of Christmas Present (Tramell Tillman), and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Robert Strange), who offer him one more chance to turn his life around and make the most of the time he has left. Otherwise, he’ll spend the afterlife dragging burdonsome chains around like his old, equally cruel business partner, Jacob Marley, played by Ian McKellen.
The role of Ebenezer Scrooge has been desirable to so many actors because it requires such a stark evolution, and Depp is great both as the heartless version of the character, but also later as he begins seeing the error of his ways. This is aided by Halpern’s screenplay which puts increased emphasis on two aspects of Scrooge’s past: his long lost love Belle (Ellie Bamber), who he left behind to pursue his dream of wealth; and the early death of his sister (Rose Williams), the only person who cared for him throughout an abusive childhood. It’s these two losses that led to Scrooge becoming so heartless, even pushing him away from his sister’s son, Fred (Sam Claflin), who keeps inviting him to Christmas supper. When Scrooge does get the chance to confront his younger self about the choices he’s about to make, Depp beautifully portrays his desperation to change what he knows will be a mistake.
With Riseborough, Tillman, and Strange playing scarier versions of the spirits, often accompanied by ghastly, vengeful shades, Ebenezer might be too scary for kids. It’s also clearly geared towards a maturer audience who might need to heed the same warnings as Scrooge before it’s too late. West, in his first film since the epic Pearl trilogy with Mia Goth, has found another perfect partner with Depp. Together, they both seem eager to take their careers in a new direction, and Ebenezer is some of the best work they’ve done, good enough that you don’t mind it being redundant.
Ebenezer is open in theaters now.
