Review of Casper (1995) by Matthew D — 25 Oct 2018

A cute ghost story for families.

Casper (1995) is no cinematic masterpiece. It's a little long for a children's movie and the CGI has aged poorly, but the way Casper is lit his translucent appearance still looks fine. It's a nice movie about family, fatherhood, growing up, and moving on really.

The romance and friendship aspects are very cute and still resonate to me on some level. Christina Ricci is great as the scared and kind Kat. Malachi Pearson's voice is certainly friendly and charming so that his delivery always makes you feel at home. His line, "Can I keep you?" sounds more sympathetic than creepy. The whole dynamic between Kat and Casper is very sweet and keeps the movie moving. The dialogue of their relationship is probably the most timeless and moving part of Casper.

Bill Pullman is pretty funny and so sincere as the father Dr. Harvey that you cannot help but like the guy. Cathy Moriarty is great as the callous and selfish opportunist Carrigan. Eric Idle is wonderful as the clumsy oaf Dibs. Casper actually a number of fun cameos that I will not spoil.

The problem with Casper is not so much Brad Silberling's pleasant and steady direction, nor the beautiful Gothic mansion set, nor the 1990's aesthetic of everything, but the writing of many of the ghost trio's jokes feel like the jokes are for the parents rather than the children. Their incessant antics are much of the appeal of Casper, yet many of their jokes do not land. At least the bits with the other characters work well still.

Overall, Casper is essentially a coming of age film for those who are grieving and have lost. It's about moving on, but also can be viewed as a way to grow up and live your life more kindly.