Ghost (1990)

Ghost (1990)

6/10

Starring

Patrick Swayze

Demi Moore

Whoopi Goldberg

Tony Goldwyn

Directed by Jerry Zucker

Ghost is our classic love story from the '90s, packed with drama, thriller, romance, and a bit of comedy. I recall watching the movie so many times, enjoying the iconic scene where Sam (the late Patrick Swayze) and Molly (Demi Moore) mess up a clay mold. Watching it now, after all these years, it doesn’t hold up much in the spiritual department. But I still enjoy the fantastic acting from the leads, with most of my praise going to Tony Goldwyn, who plays Carl. I also got to enjoy the comedy, though not so much the romance or the spooky elements.

My main critique is with the whole idea of the other side and the movie’s two action scenes. If we go by this film’s logic, no ghost would ever move on, because who doesn’t have unfinished business? Let’s not even get into the demons that come to pick up the bad guys, as we never really know what criteria they use. I could argue about the whole ghost-touching-things thing, but horror movies tend to do that... Then there's the scene where Sam takes over Oda Mae’s (Whoopi Goldberg) body. Please. Finally, the action scenes—I was like, “People’s lives are in danger, can you stop with the hunting tactics and just stop these guys?”

The movie introduces Sam and Carl, two friends who are bankers. Sam notices some irregularities in bank accounts, and while Carl wants to help, Sam insists on handling it himself. Later, Sam and Molly are returning home from an outing when a mugging goes wrong, and Sam gets killed. His ghost doesn’t leave but stays behind, following Molly everywhere. When Sam sees the person who mugged him return to their apartment looking for something, he realizes he was murdered and that Molly is in danger. While wandering, unsure of what to do, he stumbles upon a psychic parlor and goes there, hoping for help. He then realizes the psychic (Oda Mae) is a fake. But while talking to himself, she actually hears him, which freaks her out. It turns out that the fake psychic can communicate with ghosts, though she has no idea she can do so.

Soon, Sam convinces her to help him. She can hear him but not see him, so together they try to help Molly and stop the bad guys.

Ghost was a huge financial success, making more than twenty times its $22 million budget at the box office. And even though the film received mixed reviews from critics, it earned five Academy Award nominations, winning two for Best Supporting Actress (Whoopi Goldberg) and Best Screenplay.