A Christmas Carol (2009): parents' guide
Best for ages 9 and up. Rated PG for scary sequences and images.
A faithful, visually dazzling version of the Dickens story that is far scarier than most holiday films, so it suits older grade-schoolers with a parent nearby. Jim Carrey plays Scrooge and the three ghosts in motion-capture animation that looks close to live action. The ghost scenes are the main concern: a rotting Marley whose jaw comes loose, a spirit that withers into a skeleton, a hearse pulled by red-eyed horses, and a fall into an open grave. In the future scenes a family grieves a young child. Language and other content are mild, and the redemption message is strong.
What's in it
Violence
MildMostly fantasy action and slapstick: Scrooge takes many tumbles, smashes through icicles, and is chased by a ghostly hearse that crashes through walls. Marley's jaw snaps loose, with no blood.
Language
MildMild British expressions such as blast, bugger and balderdash, a party game that plays on the double meaning of ass, and one oh my God.
Sex and nudity
MildYoung Scrooge courts and becomes engaged to Belle, with dancing and longing looks. Some party dresses show cleavage, and a ghostly girl briefly strikes a suggestive, streetwalker-like pose.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
MildAdults raise holiday toasts with wine, mead and wassail at parties, and a few men hold pipes. No drunkenness or drugs appear.
Scary or intense scenes
StrongSustained, disturbing ghost imagery from the opening corpse onward: a decaying Marley, wailing chained spirits, a ghost dying into bones, two feral children, and a shadowy death figure. The 3-D effects add jolts.
Sensitive topics
- Death of a child
Worth talking about
Scrooge changes once he sees how his choices affect other people. Ask what small acts of generosity your family could try this season.
On our lists
Similar picks around 9+
Checked October 24th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, Wikipedia, darkroom.bbfc.co.uk. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.