In this family-friendly caper from Christopher Landon (who previously directed the excellent Freaky and Happy Death Day horror films), there are clear and knowing elements of past hits, notably E.T. (as well as Ghostbusters, Casper and - alarmingly - The Entity!), with some contemporary twists, in which an amiable family moves to get a fresh start in a fixer-upper, where the alienated and unhappy younger brother (sensitively played by Jahi Di'Allo Winston) befriends an equally isolated creature (here, a mute amnesiac ghost Ernest in the attic, a charming David Harbour) and after a video goes viral finds them having to evade a CIA ghost-capturing programme as well as solving the mystery of what happened to Ernest. Anthony Mackie is solid as the father, Harbour twinkles, and current go-to favourites Jennifer Coolidge and Tig Notaro do what they do best. The film is handsomely presented - the lighting in particular is gorgeous - and Bear McCreary's score works nicely. It worryingly seems to play all its cards in the first act, but sufficient story then develops the basic premise further, although at over two hours the film is clearly far too long, and even then some of the juggling story strands feel perfunctorily finished with. We Have A Ghost is a cosy and well-presented film if overlong and provides pleasantly undemanding entertainment.
No comments:
Post a Comment