A Ghost Story

A Ghost Story

A Ghost Story is the sort of arthouse cinema which will have audiences either raving about it’s emotional impact on them or disgusted by it’s simplicity. As an example during a screening of the film for the Sydney Film Festival I witnessed both ends of the spectrum, from people leaving early to a woman sobbing uncontrollably.

The film introduces the audience to a young couple, played by Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara, living in the middle of America before the sudden and unexpected death of Affleck’s character in a car accident. Whilst on the morgue table Affleck rises from the dead but is now shrouded in a sheet, ala a kids ghost costume, and invisible to the rest of the world.

As the ghost Affleck returns to his home where he witnesses his girlfriend attempt to cope with her loss. One scene in particular appears to last forever, in reality it’s four minutes of a stationary shot, as Mara slumps to the floor eating a pie until she vomits.

It is this scene in particular which highlights the loose concept of time employed by the film. Throughout the film time can drag on slowly or it can shift in an instant, which is both transfixing but also jarring as it has the audience beginning to questioning the reality of the timeline.

Rather than following the typical supernatural horror tropes this film instead focuses on the loneliness and grief experienced by both Affleck and Mara’s characters. By choosing to frame the film this way director David Lowery has created something unique and touching.

★★★

You May Also Like

Comments are closed.