Tear Jerker / Scrooged

• The fate of Herman, the homeless gent with the pocket-watch. It even scores more Tear Jerker points when Frank, of all people, berates him for not staying at Operation Reachout.
  Frank: You moron! YOU JERK! WHY DIDN'T YOU STAY AT CLAIRE'S?! WHY DIDN'T YOU STAY WITH CLAIRE!? SHE WOULD'VE TAKEN CARE OF YOU, YOU WOULD'VE EATEN, YOU WOULD'VE BEEN WARM! YOU MIGHT BE ALIVE!! YOU'D BE A PRETTIER COLOR, I'LL TELL YA THAT!!!
  • Frank is clearly projecting for part of that scene — he never says the poor man should have stayed at the shelter but with Claire.
• The part where Frank sees his mother and cries.
  Niagara Falls, "Frankie Angel."
  • The reaction of the Ghost of Christmas Past. He's just looking at Frank, thinking, "Dear God, here we go again...." He doesn't try to mock Frank or anything until after Frank's mother leaves.
    • Before that, he seems clearly disgusted with how Frank's father treated him on Christmas Eve.
• The scene following Frank's wonderful Christmas Eve with Claire is a jump to his time working on Frisbee's, when he and Claire broke up. As Frank realizes where he is, he has a brief flash of nostalgia, only to realize what's about to happen and visibly die inside.
• The whole scene with Future!Calvin, now institutionalized.
  Orderly: Visiting hours are over, Mrs. Cooley.
  Grace: (disheveled and heartbroken) But I just got here...
  • Frank's reaction really sells it, as he immediately shows remorse and starts making promises to fix it.
    Frank: Now, this is just a possible future, right? I mean, this is... this is doable. I-I-I know the head of pediatrics at N.Y.U. We can get this kid out of here right away. This is not a problem... I'm all over this, don't worry about it!
  • The reason that Calvin is mute for most of the movie: the ghost of Christmas Present revealed that Calvin saw his father being murdered years prior, and could never get over it. So, without that Christmas Miracle, this movie's version of Tiny Tim would grow up to become so troubled, he'd be committed involuntarily in an institution, which his mother has presumably worked herself to poverty trying to get him out.
• The scene with Future!Claire, where it really hits Frank just what sort of a legacy he'll be leaving if he doesn't change. Just seeing her become a cold, heartless Rich Bitch far removed from the sweet and wonderful woman she was.
  Claire: ...He said, "Scrape 'em off, Claire. You want to save somebody? Save yourself!"
  Frank: I'm sorry, Claire...
  • The fact there are children in rags having to beg for anything is heartbreaking enough, but seeing both the disgust and the lack of empathy from Claire in her Bad Future is absolutely horrible. Even her fellow well-to-do friends call her out on her behavior.
  • Frank's words to the Ghost after leaving her scenario which left him not just devastated, but angry, too:
  Frank: That was a lousy thing to do.
• Everything that happens to Elliot after he's fired (up until Frank's Heel–Face Turn) qualifies. At first, his life going steadily down the tubes seems funny, but once he elaborates on exactly how bad it's been for him, there's no laughing. Like when he mentions that instead of standing by him and supporting him, his wife ditched him (on Christmas Eve no less) and took their baby daughter with her.
  • Even before his Trauma Conga Line really kicks in, Elliot is seen just after being fired, sitting on the steps and trying to convince himself his wife will understand and accept the situation (which, of course, she doesn't). Bobcat Goldthwait sounds so heartbreakingly sad while trying to put a brave face on.
• Once you get past the comedic effect, the scene where the Ghost of Christmas Past bluntly says Frank didn't have any childhood outside of watching TV is pretty depressing. Frank's lame attempts at arguing reveal that the only happy memories he had weren't his own memories, they were the life experiences of fictional characters. It's no wonder his social skills are so stunted.
• As horrifying as it is, Frank's cremation is also one, because of just how heartbroken his brother is that he's gone. And Bill Murray's acting in that scene when he starts to break down. There's no trace of the usual snarkiness or cool-headed smarm in his voice; only pure terror:
  "Oh, no... God, please, don't let them burn me, James... Jimmy, don't let them burn me! PLEASE DON'T LET THEM BURN ME!!"
  • Both James and his wife Wendy are heartbroken. Frank never visited them and rarely spoke to them, but they loved him all the same. They're also the only two people who showed up to say their goodbyes.
  • Even worse, he actually appears to have never met James's Wendy. When he says 'hello' to her during the broadcast at the end, that seems like the first time he'd even vaguely interacted with her.
  • Note that even before The Reveal, Frank is horrified. He only sees Wendy at first, believing that James has died in this future. He mourns in regret before James suddenly walks into view and he puts two and two together.

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