We Have a Ghost
We Have a Ghost is one of those films designed to be watched with the family, without too many demands, with a ghost who is not scary, a haunted house, a lonely teenager, a somewhat broken family and a mixture of comedy, adventure, mystery and final emotion. The intention is clear: to recover a little of the spirit of those eighties family films in which the supernatural was used to talk about friendship, loss and family bonds. The problem is that the film has better ingredients than results.
The premise has charm. A family moves into a house where Ernest appears, a ghost unable to speak who soon becomes a viral phenomenon. From there, the film tries to mix several things: ghost story, internet comedy, government chase, family drama, mystery from the past and teenage adventure. All of that could have made a very entertaining film, but the whole thing feels too scattered. It wants to be many things at once and does not always know which one it cares about most.
David Harbour is the best thing in it. It takes skill to build a character almost without words and still give him humanity, sadness and a certain tenderness. Ernest works best when the film slows down and lets his presence be more than a special effect or an excuse for a chase. In those moments, you can see the film this could have been: a simple, emotional and slightly strange story about a forgotten ghost and a boy who needs to feel heard.
Jahi Di’Allo Winston is also good as Kevin, the teenager who connects with Ernest. Their relationship is the most honest part of the film, although it never quite reaches all the emotion it promises. Anthony Mackie brings presence as a frustrated father, but the script takes him down overly obvious paths. Jennifer Coolidge, as almost always, arrives with her own energy, although her character works more as a gag than as a real part of the story.
The main problem is the length and the tone. The film is too long for what it tells. What should be an agile family adventure becomes heavy at times, with secondary plots that do not always add much and a chase element that stretches the whole thing without making it more fun. It is not boring all the time, but you can feel that there was a lighter, better film hidden inside this one.
As a comedy, it does not fully work either. It has a few pleasant moments, but not many laughs. As a ghost film, it is too harmless to create real mystery. As a family adventure, it has heart, but lacks rhythm. And as a comment on social media, instant fame and the exploitation of anything unusual, it remains on the surface.
Still, it is not a disaster. It is watchable, especially with children or at a time when you want something gentle, fantastical and not too dark. It has decent effects, a ghost with some tenderness and an ending that tries to move you. But it also leaves the feeling of a missed opportunity. With less running time, more focus and more confidence in the relationship between Kevin and Ernest, it could have been a much stronger family film.
We Have a Ghost is decent, occasionally charming and very harmless. It does not annoy too much, but it also does not leave much of a mark. A family ghost film with a good idea, a good David Harbour and plenty of potential charm, but one that ends up being longer, more scattered and less funny than it should be.
The premise has charm. A family moves into a house where Ernest appears, a ghost unable to speak who soon becomes a viral phenomenon. From there, the film tries to mix several things: ghost story, internet comedy, government chase, family drama, mystery from the past and teenage adventure. All of that could have made a very entertaining film, but the whole thing feels too scattered. It wants to be many things at once and does not always know which one it cares about most.
David Harbour is the best thing in it. It takes skill to build a character almost without words and still give him humanity, sadness and a certain tenderness. Ernest works best when the film slows down and lets his presence be more than a special effect or an excuse for a chase. In those moments, you can see the film this could have been: a simple, emotional and slightly strange story about a forgotten ghost and a boy who needs to feel heard.
Jahi Di’Allo Winston is also good as Kevin, the teenager who connects with Ernest. Their relationship is the most honest part of the film, although it never quite reaches all the emotion it promises. Anthony Mackie brings presence as a frustrated father, but the script takes him down overly obvious paths. Jennifer Coolidge, as almost always, arrives with her own energy, although her character works more as a gag than as a real part of the story.
The main problem is the length and the tone. The film is too long for what it tells. What should be an agile family adventure becomes heavy at times, with secondary plots that do not always add much and a chase element that stretches the whole thing without making it more fun. It is not boring all the time, but you can feel that there was a lighter, better film hidden inside this one.
As a comedy, it does not fully work either. It has a few pleasant moments, but not many laughs. As a ghost film, it is too harmless to create real mystery. As a family adventure, it has heart, but lacks rhythm. And as a comment on social media, instant fame and the exploitation of anything unusual, it remains on the surface.
Still, it is not a disaster. It is watchable, especially with children or at a time when you want something gentle, fantastical and not too dark. It has decent effects, a ghost with some tenderness and an ending that tries to move you. But it also leaves the feeling of a missed opportunity. With less running time, more focus and more confidence in the relationship between Kevin and Ernest, it could have been a much stronger family film.
We Have a Ghost is decent, occasionally charming and very harmless. It does not annoy too much, but it also does not leave much of a mark. A family ghost film with a good idea, a good David Harbour and plenty of potential charm, but one that ends up being longer, more scattered and less funny than it should be.
Mini Review: We Have a Ghost is one of those films designed to be watched with the family, without too many demands, with a ghost who is not scary, a haunted house, a lonely teenager, a somewhat broken family and a mixture of comedy, adventure, mystery and final emotion. The intention is clear: to recover a little of the spirit of those eighties family films in which the supernatural was used to talk about friendship, loss and family bonds. The problem is...
Watch the Trailer