Movie Review: We Have A Ghost
I recently sat down with the misses to watch We Have A Ghost. We both went into it totally blind as it just popped up on our Netflix feed out of the boo (pun intended, not sorry). I am well aware that I am currently writing a movie review. Still, there is a certain charm going into a movie, wondering what to expect. You can form your own opinions and don’t have any preconceived bias against your view due to other people’s reviews and comments.
This does not, however, mean that you are allowed to stop reading. Ignore all of what I just said, and carry on! Clearly, I am joking, but there is a point in me telling all of this. We Have A Ghost did not get the warmest response from critics, only managing a rating of 42% on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience score was more favourable, sitting at 62%, but if you look at these numbers alone, you would think that We Have A Ghost is just a bang-average movie. The fact I went into this one without knowing these scores helped me enjoy the experience so much more.
I honestly loved this movie. The cast was great; it was silly, there were many touching moments between the characters, and all cast members played their parts brilliantly. The movie is based on a short story written by an author called Geoff Manaugh, and the book goes by the name of Ernest. Ernest is the ghost that inhabits the home in the movie and is played by David Habour, who, of course, we all know from the hit Netflix show Stranger Things. Harbour delivers a superb silent performance in this movie, and his character is restricted to only a few moans and ghoulish wails (well, he is a ghost, after all)
What It’s All About
We Have a Ghost begins with the Presley family’s relocation to a fixer-upper in Chicago. Father Frank (Anthony Mackie) faces financial challenges and struggles to maintain a close relationship with his increasingly distant son, Kevin (Jahi Di’Allo Winston, known for his roles in “Charm City Kings” and “Everything Sucks!”). Shortly after moving in, Kevin explores the attic and encounters a trapped soul named Ernest. Ernest, who has been scaring inhabitants since the ’70s, cannot speak. Still, Kevin, unafraid, captures him on his phone, turning Ernest into a viral ghost sensation.
Of course, as soon as the ghost goes viral, the family home and family members are swamped by media and reporters. They are even featured on a TV show by a famous female medium played by Jessica Coolidge (yes, that’s right, Stifler’s Mom!). As mentioned previously, there are many touching moments as well. The relationship between Ernest and Kevin is the most heartwarming aspect of the movie. Harbour and Di’allo Winston do their best to ensure the audience knows the two characters on-screen develop a bond and deep connection, which makes the movie’s ending all the more powerful.
I really would recommend this one. Just give it a go.
