Review of A Ghost Story (2017) by Stanley C — 27 Aug 2018

Tough movie! Tough to describe. Sometimes tough to watch. It's certainly unique. No lack of creativity. And it casts a spell, but it's a very slow one. The first half of its roughly 90 minute runtime requires some serious patience...some trust that this is all leading somewhere.

If you've not seen a trailer for the movie, then this paragraph might be considered a spoiler...in fact, all the rest of this review could be. But if you've seen the previews, then you know this much: a couple (Casey Affleck & Rooney Mara) live in a humble, lower-middle class American home. The husband dies, leaving behind a ghost (which is portrayed with surprising effectiveness by simply draping the actor in a white sheet with holes cut out for eyes...amusing at first, haunting [pun intended] later). The wife eventually packs up the place and moves out, leaving the ghost behind. Why does the ghost stay? What is he seeing and thinking? What is he hoping for?

I truly can't say much more, because while the questions aren't answered 100%, they are the crux of the film and its meaning...such as you can glean. It's a movie of moods, mostly melancholy. But it is SLOOOOOOW. Oh, so amazingly SLOOOOOOWWWWW. Here's an example, perhaps the most extreme. Shortly after her husband dies, Mara returns to her home one afternoon. Her real estate agent has left behind a note and a pie. Mara eats the pie. Almost all of it. This takes, easily, 5 minutes. We watch. In the background, the ghost watches. Yes, we get to see lots of emotions playing out on her face...but it's also almost maddening to watch. We don't see things like this in movies. But it's very real...it feels very much like we're peeking in on a very private moment...just like the ghost is. Frankly, you either have to go with this film and its glacial pace...or likely just give up altogether. Later in the film, things begin to speed up a bit and pieces begin to click together a little bit. There are lovely images throughout. The ghost, on whom I suppose we are projecting feelings, is in turn sad, wise, angry, peevish, and maybe even a little funny. But mostly sad.

Be ready for this film to make the leap from a very tiny, personal incident (the events in the lives of this non-descript couple) to something cosmic and a bit daring and amazing. I did not foresee quite what this film would do (in terms of plot)...nor did I expect, after the slow start, to find myself almost hypnotized by the movie. It haunts you, in a delicate, sneaky way. But in a way that will stick with you for quite some time. I daresay, in a few months, I may be ready to watch it again. It worked on me in unexpected ways, which I appreciated.

I did have some gripes nonetheless. The sound mix on the dialogue was pretty bad. I know lots of the dialogue is meant to be merely suggested and the specific words aren't important. BUT, when we get interaction between Mara & Affleck...it should be easy to understand. But mumbled whispers needed some help. Instead, I was left wishing I had the closed caption device at my movie seat. Later, a character appears who embarks on a long explanation of a scientific/metaphysical principle (that's all I'll say). While interesting...it's almost the equivalent of having something spoon fed to us so that we'll understand later parts of the film. It's a device that for me was incredibly awkward and costs this film at least half a star.

I really am very glad I saw the film. I've sure not seen anything quite like it. A brooding, haunting meditation on love, life & time. Wow...it takes on a lot, and it's tough to watch at times...but it gripped me. That's the sign of a pretty effective film.