A Ghost Story

Imagine a joke that takes 90 minutes to tell, you never get to hear the actual punchline, and part of the point is how long and incredibly boring it is to get there - yet it makes sense at the end, and in some strange way seems fulfilling. If this sounds like your cuppa joe, you might like this flick. I'm glad I watched it, but wouldn't watch it again, and can't recommend it.

A Ghost Story marks David Lowry's return to cinema since his 2013 indie hit "Ain't Them Bodies Saints". Telling the story of a young couple (Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara) who buy a home and plan to start a life together in it until tragedy strikes. The Man suddenly dies and leaves the wife to fend for herself and build a life in the house by herself instead of with the man she loves. All while she is going through this in reality, the Man begins to haunt the home in a classical white sheet donning way. Throughout the years of being trapped to haunt this home, The Ghost also has to witness the love of his past life continue on without him and experience the moments of life without him. It is a beautiful and heart wrenching film that delves deeper into what grief does to not only a person but to a ghost.

Whether you believe in an after life or not, A Ghost Story isn't worried about your beliefs. It plays out like a fantasy and that's how it stays which really bodes well for it. It never reaches beyond what is happening with the Man and the Woman and, of course, the House (which becomes a character in and of itself). David Lowry does a great job at setting up a "what if" scenario that all you can do is ask yourself, "what would I do in this situation?" The scariest part of that is there is literally nothing you can do. That rationalization is probably scarier than most horror films out today.

The film itself is a very digestible 90 minutes which is of a perfect length for this film because it doesn't go overboard and forget what it is. It's a horror film that is light on scares but heavy on thoughts and brains. There's no real scares. The big scare is putting yourself in the shoes of the ghost. What would you do if you had to witness your loved one go through grief and you couldn't do anything about it? You couldn't comfort them. You couldn't hold them. You could just watch. What if the person you loved moved on from you? What if they forget you? These questions are what made A Ghost Story scary for me. The level of helplessness that the film portrays is horrifying enough to remind audiences that death is still scary.

Overall, the film is an experimental ghost story that shows Lowry in top form both as a writer and a director. The crass nature of reality is that death is lonely and he captures that perfectly. While many who take a look at the poster will certainly think that the film is just another horror movie trying to capitalize on some paranormal money, A Ghost Story is much more than that. It is beautiful to watch, heart wrenching to experience and an absolute delight cinematically.

"A Ghost Story" haunts its way into my 7/10 rating, and I must admit, I liked it. Casey Affleck's minimalist yet poignant performance under a sheet is surprisingly affecting, creating an ethereal presence that lingers long after the film ends. The deliberate film editing, characterized by long takes and slow pacing, allows the audience to immerse themselves in the film's meditative atmosphere. Its strength lies in its exploration of time, mortality, and the afterlife, offering a unique and introspective take on the supernatural genre. Daniel Hart's haunting score adds to the film's melancholic beauty, and the cinematography, often framed in a square aspect ratio, gives a sense of isolation and eternity. "A Ghost Story" is a thought-provoking and quietly moving experience, reminding us that even in death, our presence can endure, and my liking for it is as enduring as the ghost's silent watch over time.

This is not a film to watch with a big bowl of popcorn snuggled up looking for something to entertain you on a Tuesday night. It's probably best that you know what you're getting yourself into...

It's a film that challenges you to empathize with a faceless, voiceless entity that you only get to know briefly. It weaponizes boredom and hazy, cold cinematography to put the viewer in a similar situation as the titular ghost. You are a distant, helpless observer to a world that relentlessly moves forward without you. Characters come and go without much introduction or resolution, and all you can do is watch as time goes on... and on... and on...

A Ghost Story is intentionally divisive, but if you immerse yourself in its bold and and chilling atmosphere, you will experience a film that is deeply moving and sticks with you for a long, long time.

It's a good concept. But poorly portrayed... Excruciating,, long ,, boring scenes,,with absolutely no pay off. If anyone paid at a theatre to see this, they got robbed. I would be demanding My money back and reparations for the valuable time that cannot be replaced. Run from this film , as fast as you can.