Review: A Ghost Story

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Watching. Always watching.

We start with a couple known only as C (Casey Affleck) and M. (Rooney Mara) She wants to move. He wants to stay. After C dies in a car accident, he rises again as a ghost under a literal sheet. He could move on, but he chooses to go back to his home to watch M. Eventually, M has to move on, but C is now stuck there. 

I'm a huge fan of director David Lowery's Ain't Them Bodies Saints so I've been curious about this since it premiered at Sundance. The film is shot in a 1.33:1 aspect ratio. It's almost as if you're watching the film through a camera or a window. Even the corners are rounded. It's an interesting way to frame this story.

This movie isn't going to be for everyone. It's a very somber film. With lots of long takes and little meaningful dialogue, but you can't help but admire the risk Lowery took with this. We're literally following Casey Affleck under a bed sheet for most of this film. But sometimes we linger a little too long on shots. Long enough to be thrown out of the movie and to start thinking of the film making process. Did they really make Rooney Mara stress eat that entire pie? What kind of pie was it? Did this guy giving the doomsday speech have a script or is he just ad-libbing?

Issues aside, I can't help but love how sad, strange, and beautiful this film is. 

Recommended: Yes

Grade: B

Memorable Quote: "What do you like about this house so much? - M (Rooney Mara)

Comments

  1. s.August 22, 2017 at 10:34 AM

    Shadier Affleck and No pulse Mara...and that story...I heard lots of praise for this but this doesn't seem like something for me :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamAugust 22, 2017 at 11:52 AM

      I don't think you'd like this if you don't like the actors lol. Even though you don't see much of Affleck.

      Did you see Ain't Them Bodies Saints? I can't remember.

      Delete
    2. s.August 22, 2017 at 11:39 PM

      I wanted to but every time I almost did I remembered that couple leads it and I never went through with it... :P

      Delete
    3. Brittani BurnhamAugust 23, 2017 at 6:37 AM

      That's Ben Foster's movie anyways. He steals it.

      Delete
  2. DellAugust 22, 2017 at 3:06 PM

    Ain't Them Bodies Saints? didn't quite do it for me. Still, I'm curious about this one, though. I'll definitely check it out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamAugust 23, 2017 at 6:37 AM

      I prefer ATBS to this, but they're very different films.

      Delete
  3. BirgitAugust 22, 2017 at 4:21 PM

    OK...a ghostie under a bed sheet with funky camera tricks...they must love French Avant Garde film. I might pass on this because I already think of Casey Affleck like a ghost...he's a bit boring

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamAugust 23, 2017 at 6:38 AM

      lol. I haven't seen too many Avant Garde films but that's definitely the feel I think they were going for.

      Delete
  4. GetterAugust 29, 2017 at 4:53 AM

    It's one of those movies I will look at from the distance and not watch because it just.. it's too meta.

    ReplyDelete

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