A Ghost Story (2017)

In this singular exploration of legacy, love, loss, and the enormity of existence, a recently deceased, white-sheeted ghost returns to his suburban home to try to reconnect with his bereft wife.

Director:

David Lowery

Writer:

David Lowery

Stars:

Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara, McColm Cephas Jr.

11 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Casey Affleck	...	C
Rooney Mara	...	M
McColm Cephas Jr.	...	Little Boy
Kenneisha Thompson	...	Doctor
Grover Coulson	...	Man in Wheelchair
Liz Cardenas	...	Linda (as Liz Cardenas Franke)
Barlow Jacobs	...	Gentleman Caller
Richard Krause	...	Mover
Dagger Salazar	...	Mover
Sonia Acevedo	...	Maria
Carlos Bermudez	...	Carlos
Yasmina Gutierrez	...	Yasmina
Kimberly Fiddes	...	Making Out
Daniel Escudero	...	Making Out
Kesha	...	Spirit Girl (as Kesha Sebert)

Storyline

Resonating with vibrant memories and silent echoes of a shared life, the old house is somehow connected to "C", a sensitive composer who is hesitant of leaving it, while his loving wife "M", on the other hand, is keen on moving out, having an indecipherable but grim premonition of danger. Sadly, disaster soon strikes, and C's untethered spectre which detaches from the lifeless body, rises from the mortician's table, and in a swift decision, decides to linger in this dimension to faithfully follow the grieving M back to the old house. As silent as a shadow and as invisible as the air, C's unappeasable phantom observes M's denial and depression gradually turn to acceptance and even hope, as time unravels, moving forward through the decades. In this earth, man struggles to leave his legacy behind. Is this the way to immortality?

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Plot Keywords:

death of husband | loss of husband | husband wife relationship | grief | loss | 

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Taglines:

It's all about time.

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for brief language and a disturbing image

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 July 2017 (Australia)

Also Known As:

A Ghost Story

Filming Locations:

Irving, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$100,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$104,030, 7 July 2017, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,596,371, 28 September 2017

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sailor Bear,Zero Trans Fat Productions,Ideaman Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Several variations of pies were baked and tested in preparation for the pie eating scene. Rooney Mara, a self-confessed picky eater, opted for a reduced sugar, gluten-free and vegan chocolate pie. Director David Lowery said it was delicious.

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Goofs

At one point the ghost turns and you can clearly see the actor through the sheet, wearing a yellow T-shirt.

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Quotes

M: When I was little and we used to move all the time, I'd write these notes and I would fold them up really small. And I would hide them.
C: What'd they say?
M: They're just things I wanted to remember so that if I ever wanted to go back, there'd be a piece of me there waiting.

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Connections

Featured in Half in the Bag: 2017 Movie Catch-up: Part 2 (2018)

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Soundtracks

Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, op. 125
(uncredited)
Written by Ludwig van Beethoven

User Reviews

It's 30% Deeply Moving and 70% Deeply Boring

If you prefer a movie rich with dialogue, A Ghost Story is not for you.

There is very little speaking throughout the movie. Only one scene features much talking and it's not even a conversation. One man launches into a lengthy, detailed monologue about the infinite size of the universe and our relative insignificance within it. The man believes that the speech is profound and laudable, but in reality it sounds like something a college kid would say while high at a party.

The gist of the man's speech expresses that the universe is too vast for any of us to truly leave a legacy when we die. The ghost (played by Casey Affleck) is especially compelled by this speech because he has just died and is now especially compelled by things concerning his legacy.

The ghost observes what he cared about most while he was alive. He haunts his house. He observes his wife, struggling to watch her struggle to cope with his death. He wants desperately to comfort her, but cannot. It's heartbreaking.

In addition to heartbreak, this movie evokes many other feelings: warmth, humor, boredom. Boredom comes up a lot. For every genuinely beautiful and moving moment of the movie, there is at least five minutes of emptiness. The runtime is short, just over 90 minutes, but it feels longer and could easily have been trimmed by 20 minutes.

One scene in particular that involves a pie seems to drag on for at least four days, even though it actually only lasts four minutes. In the moment, the scene is likely unbearable to many viewers. I plead for your patience. Do your best to empathize. Think about how you would feel in the situation. Do this, and the scene becomes haunting and powerful.

That's probably the best way to sum up the movie—many scenes may feel boring if given little thought, but are actually deeply moving if given honest consideration. Not all scenes fit this description—some, no matter how much your squint, are just extended moments of vapid emptiness. The emptiness outnumbers the deeply moving by about 2:1, so this movie requires patience and commitment. The movie contains no conflict, only contemplation and some glorious music.

If that sounds like enough for you, give this movie a chance. But fair warning: if you bore easily this movie will feel like a waste of your time.