IMDb RATING
4.4/10
8.7K
YOUR RATING
A widowed father tries to support his children after he becomes a ghost in an accident.A widowed father tries to support his children after he becomes a ghost in an accident.A widowed father tries to support his children after he becomes a ghost in an accident.
- Awards
- 3 nominations total
Brian Stokes Mitchell
- Teacher
- (as Brian Mitchell)
Featured reviews
If one were to hear of a movie concerning the antics of a dead Bill Cosby trying to help his children, the cineast in you would not be stirred to see/rent it. However, I still managed to be unpleasantly surprised by the gall of this movie. Each turn around the seemingly aimless plot reveals fresh idiocy. Every moment of Cosby's acting seems an excuse for a new stupid face to pull, though even these become horrendous. One is left with an over-riding feeling of disbelief, after having been asked to suspend exactly that from new levels for the duration of the picture. I suppose really odd Dana Ashcroft fanatics may wish to see this. But this movie is for children. Stupid children.
This is a fun family movie, but the plot isn't solid. This movie left me with a lot of questions. What was up with the cab driver and who does he think he is? Why did Stuart threaten his best friend's father? That's pretty bold of him to do that. Why at one point, could Elliot talk weird in one part and talk normal in another? Also when the company comes over to visit, it's day time, and some minutes later, when Stuart calls, Elliot went to his house and the sun was already down long ago. That reminds me, if Stuart threatened me like that, he would have his bratty self have the police called on. And, not all was resolved in the end. Elliot lost his job, Danny lost a friend of his, and Diane lost a potential boyfriend. Still, nevertheless, Elliot's extremist and eccentric behavior was definitely funny. Though plagued by errors, this makes for a good family film and is better than Home Alone 4.
Bill Cosby hasn't had much luck in his movie career, which may explain this (not unsuccessful) attempt to carry his familiar middle-class-family-man TV image over to the big screen. In the film he plays a single, somewhat neglectful father of three children who learns a few belated lessons in parenthood after a fatal taxi ride turns him into a reluctant ghost. Of course he can only be seen in darkened rooms, which leads to a lot of ectoplasmic slapstick and some predictable puns ("
over my dead body!") The film is strictly sit-com material, but at the same time is too undemanding to warrant any real criticism, and under Sidney Poitier's slick, superficial direction it moves quickly to a happy ending, with the help of a few clever (if economical) special effects. It might, however, have an unexpected side effect on a younger audience: having a dead dad is made to seem such fun that some kids might begin to want one themselves.
I don't care what anyone else has said this is a great movie. I have seen this movie several times and Bill Cosby is funny, A single dad trying to raise 3 children until he has his accident and becomes a ghost. The adventures that Cosby goes through in this movie while he is a ghost are interesting. It is a great film for children of all ages. So, see this movie if you haven't already and I think you will be very surprised at the adventures of Cosby and the other Characters in this film.
After the colossal artistic and commercial triumph of Leonard: Part 6, "The Cos" decided to make his next film a more organic, "Art-House" picture and proves once again that he has the cinematic midas touch. In a premise that might seem silly in other hands, Cosby and director Sidney Portier deftly weave a tightly knit tapestry of familial melodrama and undead hijinks. The lush cinematography lends a documentary feel to the proceedings, a much needed dose of gritty reality which helps immeasurably when dealing with the afterlife. Cosby's bravura performance is both ferocious and demure in equal measure, but always REAL. Also, the underlying message of fatherly responsibility seems remarkably apt in these times of the "Baby Boy" syndrome. An often overlooked masterpiece in the Cosby canon, Ghost Dad is without a doubt a labour of love from one of the cinemas greatest pioneers.
Did you know
- TriviaSteve Martin was originally set to star as Elliot Hopper, with John Badham directing.
- GoofsThe song "Miss You Much," by Terry Lewis, is credited to Jerry Lewis in the end credits.
- Quotes
Elliot Hopper: Now, you listen to me, you little bag of pig puke! You mention one word to anybody about this, and so help me, I'll do things to you that you can't even imagine! You try to threaten me? I don't get frightened. I GIVE frighten, you little twerp! What do you think about this?
[raises a flashlight to face, which disappears]
Stuart: [screams in fright]
Elliot Hopper: Hah!
Stuart: [faints]
Elliot Hopper: Good night.
- Alternate versions12 minutes worth of deleted scenes were shown on NBC and USA Network.
- SoundtracksBetrayal
(Theme from Le Convoi de la peur (1977))
Music by Edgar Froese, Christopher Franke (as Christoph Franke) and Peter Baumann
Performed by Tangerine Dream
- How long is Ghost Dad?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $24,707,633
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $4,803,480
- Jul 1, 1990
- Gross worldwide
- $25,421,633
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content