A Ghost Story

This film tells the story of a man who dies in a car accident. He goes back to his home as a ghost covered in a white sheet, and watch the world goes by and goes on.

Casey Affleck must have the least screen time ever for a leading credit. He appears in the film for a total of ten to fifteen minutes only. Anyone could have been under that white sheet, so it might not have been him.

This film lacks any story. It is so slow that I watched it at three times the speed and still thought it was far too slow. Watching Rooney Mara eat a pie for seven minutes is not interesting. Watching a ghost standing motionless for three minutes isn't interesting either. In fact, the whole film is not interesting. It seems like someone's very mean and twisted practical joke, by making a bad film and see how the critics declare that they love it.

Imagine a joke that takes 90 minutes to tell, you never get to hear the actual punchline, and part of the point is how long and incredibly boring it is to get there - yet it makes sense at the end, and in some strange way seems fulfilling. If this sounds like your cuppa joe, you might like this flick. I'm glad I watched it, but wouldn't watch it again, and can't recommend it.

"A Ghost Story" haunts its way into my 7/10 rating, and I must admit, I liked it. Casey Affleck's minimalist yet poignant performance under a sheet is surprisingly affecting, creating an ethereal presence that lingers long after the film ends. The deliberate film editing, characterized by long takes and slow pacing, allows the audience to immerse themselves in the film's meditative atmosphere. Its strength lies in its exploration of time, mortality, and the afterlife, offering a unique and introspective take on the supernatural genre. Daniel Hart's haunting score adds to the film's melancholic beauty, and the cinematography, often framed in a square aspect ratio, gives a sense of isolation and eternity. "A Ghost Story" is a thought-provoking and quietly moving experience, reminding us that even in death, our presence can endure, and my liking for it is as enduring as the ghost's silent watch over time.

I didn't hate this film, but it missed the mark on so many levels. Rooney Mara's talent is essentially wasted in her role as the grieving widow. Casey Affleck is...well, Casey Affleck, and in his defense, he doesn't have much to work with here. The director gets points for making a silent bed sheet somewhat watchable. And, there are a few really good scenes, which I won't describe in case you absolutely, positively want to watch this. However, I have to warn you that unless you're willing to endure long stretches of nothing of importance happening, you probably won't care for this film.

This is what happens when a director decides to make a work of art regardless of what the intended audience wants. Points awarded for trying.

This is not a film to watch with a big bowl of popcorn snuggled up looking for something to entertain you on a Tuesday night. It's probably best that you know what you're getting yourself into...

It's a film that challenges you to empathize with a faceless, voiceless entity that you only get to know briefly. It weaponizes boredom and hazy, cold cinematography to put the viewer in a similar situation as the titular ghost. You are a distant, helpless observer to a world that relentlessly moves forward without you. Characters come and go without much introduction or resolution, and all you can do is watch as time goes on... and on... and on...

A Ghost Story is intentionally divisive, but if you immerse yourself in its bold and and chilling atmosphere, you will experience a film that is deeply moving and sticks with you for a long, long time.