We Have A Ghost – A Silly Supernatural Comedy (Early Review)

A film title like We Have A Ghost is simple and to the point in that it involves a group of people who have a ghost. Based on a short story by Geoff Manaugh, the film is so much more than that to the point that its simple title somewhat undersells and sometimes undercuts what it actually is. While the aforementioned silly premise is inescapable, being helmed by the mind behind such films as Freaky and the Happy Death Day franchise creates a sense of comfort and give it some legitimacy. When it comes to those other films, this one is much more tame, leaning towards comedy more than horror. A wholesome story on the surface, the film is definitely a journey that becomes something much larger as it jumps between tones and becomes increasingly silly. Though it doesn’t all work, perhaps contributing to its overlong running time of just over the 2 hour mark, it is still an entertaining watch that recovers from a rough start and figures out what kind of film it wants to be. Regardless of everything else going on, David Harbour’s performance as the titular ghost shines through.

In terms of the story, We Have A Ghost is pretty clear though just to add to that, the story saw the Presley family move to Chicago for a fresh start. Little did they know, they had a ghost named Earnest (Harbour) living in their attic. Kevin Presley (Winston), the misunderstood youngest teen son wasn’t afraid of him. Rather, he found a kinship with the ghost who was essentially a throwback to the 1970s. While Kevin decided to help him, his father Frank (Mackie) had a different idea, seeing Earnest as a potential golden ticket by quickly leveraging him into a viral sensation. That worldwide notoriety was one thing, however, it also put the family on the radar of a paranormal scientist named Dr. Leslie Monroe (Tig Notaro) who was working for the CIA. As the target on the Presley family grew and the walls were closing in, it was up to Kevin and his fellow outcast neighbor Joy (Isabella Russo) to break out Earnest to help him remember his past and some sort of closure before it was too late. The story may have a lot of noise and a lot of moving parts but underneath all of that, it is about the relationship between Earnest and Kevin which is where the film truly shines as each came into their own.

Beyond the silliness, cliches, and a few too many shots at social media and influencer culture, We Have A Ghost tackles a fair share of heavy themes for which many will be obvious but this did not make them any less powerful. While the first act was meant to set the stage, the film truly found its groove following that as the relationship between Earnest and Kevin is allowed to breathe and the story begins to flesh out the tragic backstory of the former. With Earnest being a ghost, the film uses that fact in inventive ways that were often fun and exciting to watch. Balancing between action, comedy, and drama is quite the task but it does so admirably without undercutting the emotion in spite of its silly premise. Meanwhile, there was still the matter of their government pursuers. Although they were thin, Monroe was an interesting character because she seemed different from everyone else. Being marginalized and ridiculed most of her life, Earnest was her big break and it was easy to feel for her. Now in unchartered territory, she learned what that truly meant as the interests of Monroe and her bosses were not aligned.

In the midst of the silliness, We Have A Ghost has some strong character arcs. While the writing and directing go a long way in that, the performances are what seal it and for the most part, the performances were solid. Harbour shines as Earnest despite having very few lines as the role was a real test of his ability where he succeeded at delivering so much depth and emotion using mostly his face and physicality. Winston also shined as the analog for the audience as he found himself at the center of it all and carried all that weight effortlessly in what was a coming-of-age story for Kevin. His likability and relatability along with his great chemistry with Harbour as Earnest made it all work. Though in a limited role, Mackie could have been toned down as Frank as his silly arc hurt the film.

At the end of the day, We Have A Ghost is more than just a silly title and premise. Those willing to look beyond that will be treated to a surprising watch.

still courtesy of Netflix

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.