A Ghost Story

photo courtesy of bleedingcool.com

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW

     A Ghost Story is A24’s new movie, starring Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck. The movie centers around a man, “C,” who dies in a car accident and returns home to look after his grieving widow. Before too long, she moves on, leaving the home they had shared, and C is left alone to reflect on everything from grief to the meaning of life.  

     I’ll be frank. A Ghost Story is one of the those movies that skirts on the edge between sheer, incalculable brilliance… and complete and utter disaster. It’s remarkably ambitious, and the filmmakers are owed some credit for even trying to navigate the issues at hand, but it is, finally, closer to a disaster than a triumph. In the words of my wise (and very patient) friend Garrett, “I didn’t get it.”

photo courtesy of collider.com

     The movie feels almost like an art school student’s final film project of the year. It’s the creation of someone who wants to show what they can do, wants to make something of emotional significance, and is trying very hard. What this means, in substance, is that the entire film is intensely meditative and way, way, too slow. In general, I’m all for taking a slower pace in favor of more intimate, telling moments, but at some level a movie has to be doing something to avoid eroding its audience’s goodwill. But A Ghost Story just tries the viewer’s patience.

     The filmmakers make their intentions clear early on, populating the screen with long pans through quiet scenery, extended shots on static images, and in-camera shots that are both numerous and lengthy. All these techniques are great as tools to service the story, but here they’re so frequent and punishing that it seems like someone’s just trying to show off; it’s artsy for the sake of being artsy (or, perhaps more realistically, for the sake of the small budget).

photo courtesy of scenecreek.com

     It’s not all bad, however. The movie certainly picks up steam as it progresses, so it becomes infinitely more likeable once you endure the first 45 minutes. And there are things to appreciate: that the movie is willing to spend time on intimate moments between characters, that it authentically attempts to explore profound questions about grief and purpose, and that it builds on a promising premise.

     There are artistic merits, too; the movie is shot in an almost square-like aspect ratio, giving the impression that everything is viewed through a window, or from a distance—like C views the world after his death. There’s a purpose to the lingering shots, too; just like C’s ghost, we’re “stuck,” waiting and watching while people live their lives around him and us. And, admittedly, there are a few creative shots.

photo courtesy of variety.com

     Perhaps most artistically relevant, Kesha (yes, that Kesha) makes a bizarre and useless cameo. It’s a weird one, guys.

     FINAL VERDICT: Ambitious but onerous, A Ghost Story’s artistic potential is largely drowned out. 

photo courtesy of avclub.com