We have a "ghostly" review...

 

Sometimes I go looking for shows with certain actors in them just to see what those gifted sons a bitches are up to. I feel certain actors deserve follow up. This week I got curious about our favorite malcontented sheriff from Duffer-ville: David Harbour of Stranger Things. So, what has good old Jim Hopper been up to recently?

David is one of those actors who's in more movies than most people think. He just shows up, does a fairly good job and then fades into the background like "Homer Simpson into that hedge". David's filmography is fairly long, and he's in a number of my favorite shows and movies. From Stranger Things to the Marvel franchise he does a little for everyone. And who could forget one of my favorite quirky, gorey, and slapstick Christmas Movies- Violent Night? But what has he been up to recently? 

The good news is he's still acting. A quick search revealed a couple of new movies and some Netflix work. So, I decided to indulge. You might have heard of his most recent Netflix movie about the afterlife, this is that. Lets dig into this Netflix shindig called "We Have A Ghost".

Let's set the stage: It's Saturday morning after a long week of schooling for dog trainers, (because that's a thing now- I need to learn how to manage my current and future animals) and I am tapped out after a full week of 12 hour days. I am all caught up with the household chores and need some downtime. I pick up the remote and search for this off the beaten' path movie to sooth and numb my brain. I watch the preview and the trailer is intriguing. So I sit back on the love seat with the little bastards who live with me, those furry little fucks that I treat better than most people's children and I click the remote and watch this thing.

I always like to get a "clean" impression so I avoid the reviews and comments. I watch the trailer, and then the show. Nothing more. I also avoid any sites like "IMDB" or "Rotten Tomatoes" because those people hate movies and seem to be allergic to fun, or they are all just downright Jaded with what they do- not my circus monkeys. I don't take it that seriously, I just like to watch average to good movies with the occasional turd thrown in to remind me that this is 2024. 

Like always, because I am a writer, we start with the writing and the plot. 

The plot is a little different than the typical ghost story. And there are a couple spoilers here- the ghost, "Ernest" becomes a Social media celeb... Other than that, it's like I said: typical. It goes a little like this- A family moves into a cheap house, a suspiciously cheap house in an okay neighborhood. The realtor lies about about the house and why it's listed so cheap. Truth is, it's a murder house. But the family needs a place to stay because they're short on cash and have burned some bridges in the past, especially dad (played by Anthony Mackie, also from the Marvel Universe). It's a typical family of four, except the son. The son is touched, a little different; of course he is, this is a ghost story after all! He doesn't "see dead people" he just gets along with them better, apparently. He isn't scared of the Ghost, so he makes friends with him and spends the rest of the movie trying to unravel the mystery of the ghost's death. He makes friends along the way, he becomes the reluctant hero, and solves the mystery. Kind of "par for the course" actions for the hero in this kind of story.

The writing is okay, good, not great. Better than a lot of the crap that leaks out of Hollywood's pens these days. But it's not as good as some of the other shows and movies that David has been in. The writing here is average, no one who's watching this show will have a problem with it. And if they do, it's because their expectations are too high. The dialogue written for the actors is okay too, it's exactly as I would expect out of a Netflix special. There aren't too many big plot holes in this show, and for the most part the writers chose to "show, not tell". Which is nice. They don't really patronize the viewer too much with lengthy explanations and MacGuffins. That being said, there are a number of cliche's and overused literary elements (tropes) in this show that make the plot twists obvious. 

This movie is very metaphorical, and provides no explanation for the majority of those metaphors. As if that were required, I say with some sarcasm. It doesn't assume the audience is dumb and explain everything through dialogue or plot device. It just lets some of the things sit and be what they are.

The acting in this movie is good too. The cast was well picked and seems to have a certain low-level of chemistry which makes the performance cohesive. The actors pull off the characters well and the movie isn't ruined by forced, contrived, and shitty awkwardness that ruins dialogue. There's really not much more that can be commented on here. It's average, and that's okay, it's entertainment, that is all.  

The special effects are what you would expect from Netflix. The reality is that good special effects aren't as expensive or hard to come by as they used to be. In this case they do the story justice and fit the perimeters of the action well. None of them seem to be out of place or inconsistent. They just are. Most of the cinematography is the same. Shots are solid and they work well with the overall story. They are support, as they should be, nothing mind-blowing here, no magic angles or bullet time.

The music in this show is good, it was actually one of the things I enjoyed the most about the show. It has a unique melting of styles from different time periods. It actually works well, but more than that, it's used correctly, and adds to the drama of the show and some of the action sequences and mood. 

Here is the caveat. If you are a dad, especially a new one, or you have lost your dad, hell, if you are a dad-ghost, this one might make you blubber a little. It will Pixar the heart of any new father and stab deep. There are a couple places that might cripple your tear ducts in a number of ways. Especially the reveal, which I will be kind enough not to spoil for any of you- instead I will let it hit you when you watch the movie with your families. "Bomb-voyage" as they say.

If I had gone to the theater to see this movie, things might have been a little different. If I'd paid $14.50 for the ticket, or whatever they are up to now, I'd be inclined to review this a little differently. This is not a theater movie, it's not a big production, it's a fun movie to watch at home with the adult-ish kids and the family (There is some suggestive language and themes in this movie, so, as always, use some discretion). 

It's an average and kind of fun movie. For that reason I give it a 7.0 moans out of ten. That's right, a 70% because it's middle of the road, and it knows that's not such a bad place to be in this modern world, provided that you accept it and don't take it too seriously. I would recommend this movie for a good saturday night movie, not much more than that, and not much less. It's fun-ish, and it has some good moments.

Cheers!