Ghostlight

I used to be embarrassed to cry in movies and would try as hard as I could to keep it in. But that would always leave me feeling afterwards like I had a head cold, plus now I'm older and I don't give a hoot what people think. So now I let my freak flag fly and just openly weep in a movie theater if the mood strikes me. I've also found since I had children of my own that more things make me emotional than previously.

So I was an absolutely snotty, dripping mess at multiple times throughout this movie. I'm a sucker anyway for stories about people who see other people at their worst moments and respond with kindness and understanding rather than harsh judgement, and this is that kind of story. It's also about the power of art to help us work through our emotions, make sense of the world, find common ground with others, broaden our perspectives, all the things the world feels really in need of right now but yet seems determined not to do.

Is "Ghostlight" manipulative? Probably. Does it hold up to scrutiny afterwards? I'm not sure, possibly not. But I don't care because I didn't scrutinize this movie afterwards. I just let myself feel it, and that's what I want to take away with me.

Grade: A.

I know several Shakespeare aficionados that claim, while Romeo and Juliet is the most taught of the tragedies, it ranks low on the quality scale. Even if we didn't pay attention in freshman English, we know the rough outlines of the plot.

Here, the 16th century R&J play exists as the metaphorical and literal binder for a real 2024 family, and suggests the unwritten aftermath the Verona families may have endured in the weeks and months and years that followed. Their rage ... anger ... despair ... sadness ... accusations ... avoidance.

What the audience is asked to infer from what's NOT on the screen makes what IS on screen all the more poignant and foreshadowing and graceful. The writing, casting, directing, and editing is just amazing.

Grief takes on many inescapable forms and can permeate everything. Grief is a funny thing, with a 1,000 triggers and 1,000 unexpected responses. Here, we're left with the possibility of the beginning of the healing.

A blue collar construction worker in Chicago with a volatile temper and a dysfunctional family is asked to fill in when a tiny community theater attempts to stage Romeo and Juliet.

A touching, complicated movie about family and art and fathers and children. One of the best movies of 2024.

And, my favorite movie genre. How art is made:

'Topsy-Turvy' 'Day for Night' 'Tropic Thunder' 'Tristam Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story'

Ultimately, indeed, The play goes on.

A great local Chicago actor stars in the movie, and slowly, grudgingly, as Romeo: Keith Kupferer.

What a great face. What a great presence. Costarring his daughter.

When the play within the movie begins, the curtain opens, and these familiar words heard by audiences for 497 years are spoken:

'Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge, break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.'

A fantastic movie that I recommend you see.

Ghostlight masterfully captures a family's journey through life with authentic performances and a compelling story, making it a must-see drama. The film can be a bit of a slow burn at times, but it is still an immensely moving character study on an ordinary dad who struggles to open up about his emotions. Each character in the film is uniquely complex and likeable. Yet, every single character still feels like someone you would know in real life. There are no Hollywood stars, extravagant sets, or lavish locations. Instead, the film is an accurate representation of real life, and so, it becomes extraordinarily relatable.

A majestic movie, it makes you cry, definitely one of the most underrated of the whole year 2024x amazing performance and history, i watched this thank to the good Youtuber and ex honest trailer producer Dan, he is a very good critics and he very liked this movie so i watched and its pretty good to ve honest and that's always good ok, overall this is just a fantastic movie to watch with your family to cry and confess things that need to be say, this movie will change your life and make you a better person ok, overall it's fantastic and oscar worthy ok, this is a masterpiece An 8/10 masterpiece for me.