Ghost (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Patrick Swayze stars as an apparition named Sam Wheat in director Jerry Zucker's captivating, oft hilarious, & deeply moving 1990 romantic supernatural thriller, 'Ghost'. This movie doesn't always hit the mark {a shoddy visual there; and awkward script moment there}, but it's easy to see why this film cast a spell over millions of audiences worldwide. At the start of the film, after a night out at the theatre, banker Sam & budding artist Molly (Demi Moore) are walking back to their new NYC apartment but encounter a thief in a dark alley and ... Sam is killed during the bungled mugging. Now a powerless ghost trapped in limbo, Sam can't believe he is dead, and cannot communicate with Molly, or his best friend at the bank, Carl Bruner (Tony Goldwyn).
Desperate, he turns to Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), a wacky & phony spiritual advisor who, much to her own surprise, actually DOES have psychic/medium powers; as she can hear Sam. After much winning over, she reluctantly agrees to help track down Sam's killer & communicate to a bereft Molly that her boyfriend is 'still around'; unsurprisingly, Molly has doubts. But the stakes soar as Sam finds out that his death was no random accident. Sam was about to stumble across a multi-million dollar scheme to launder $$ and ... it is his corrupt business partner/friend, Carl, who organized the hit! Not only that, Carl has good reason to believe that Molly will discover the truth of Sam's death. And so, it becomes paramount that Sam warn Molly about the inherent danger surrounding Carl ... but can she allow herself to believe Oda Mae's pressing message from beyond the grave?
Ghost's stirring combination of comedy, thrills, & romance is irresistible. The 1st 45 min. or so plays like a melodrama, chock full of unrestrained passion {a famous sexy pottery-making scene btwn. Sam & Molly set to The Righteous Brothers' cover of "Unchained Melody" is swoon-worthy}, shocking murder, & oodles of suspense. But with the introduction of Whoopi Goldberg as our phony spiritual advisor, the film shifts in becoming a buddy comedy. And then the film bounces back to chills, thrills & romance as the potent theme of 'love can conquer all' encapsulates the wild climax & finale.
Patrick Swayze is fantastic as the upstanding boyfriend, co-worker & man who is confounded by the situation he finds himself in. He is relatable, desperate in his convictions, funny {I'm reminded of him 'haunting' Oda Mae by continually singing "I'm Henry the 8th I am, En-er-ree the 8th I am, I AM ..." until she acquiesces to his fervent request for help}, and utterly romantic in any scene with Molly. One of the best scenes signifies belief in life after death where Sam is able to take over Oda Mae's body to use her physical presence as a conduit for caressing & dancing with the woman he loves. It is a poignant scene that is then jolted away by the danger of Carl making his presence known. This film would not have worked without Swayze.
Demi Moore excels as Molly, as well. We feel her utter despair in losing the man she loves, and also feel her torment when deciding whether or not to believe Oda Mae's insistence that Sam is trying to communicate with her. When Molly receives damning news that Oda Mae is a phony psychic, we 'understand' why Molly refuses to trust her, while also wanting to jump through the screen to shake her in to belief. And there is one late moment in the film where something incredible is revealed and, as the music swells, it crescendos on the moment when one tear falls down Molly's cheek as she finally believes that her one true love is actually there with her from the afterlife. This movie is brimming with instance of move magic such as this.
And Whoopi Goldberg deserves her Best Supporting Oscar win for her hysterical, yet moving performance as the fraudulent-psychic-with-a-heart-of-gold who learns that she is blessed/cursed with the gift, after all. There is a bank scene in the middle of the film that had me in stitches as Oda Mae is trying to emotionally hold it together while trying to acquire a check for $2 million for purposes of helping Sam make his case of Carl's betrayal. But Goldberg's dramatic acumen is equally impressive during the action climax & tear-inducing denouement. Despite some moments of schmaltz & implausibility, this hybrid comedy-murder mystery-love story shines as the type of involving mainstream entertainment that they just don't make anymore.
Desperate, he turns to Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), a wacky & phony spiritual advisor who, much to her own surprise, actually DOES have psychic/medium powers; as she can hear Sam. After much winning over, she reluctantly agrees to help track down Sam's killer & communicate to a bereft Molly that her boyfriend is 'still around'; unsurprisingly, Molly has doubts. But the stakes soar as Sam finds out that his death was no random accident. Sam was about to stumble across a multi-million dollar scheme to launder $$ and ... it is his corrupt business partner/friend, Carl, who organized the hit! Not only that, Carl has good reason to believe that Molly will discover the truth of Sam's death. And so, it becomes paramount that Sam warn Molly about the inherent danger surrounding Carl ... but can she allow herself to believe Oda Mae's pressing message from beyond the grave?
Ghost's stirring combination of comedy, thrills, & romance is irresistible. The 1st 45 min. or so plays like a melodrama, chock full of unrestrained passion {a famous sexy pottery-making scene btwn. Sam & Molly set to The Righteous Brothers' cover of "Unchained Melody" is swoon-worthy}, shocking murder, & oodles of suspense. But with the introduction of Whoopi Goldberg as our phony spiritual advisor, the film shifts in becoming a buddy comedy. And then the film bounces back to chills, thrills & romance as the potent theme of 'love can conquer all' encapsulates the wild climax & finale.
Patrick Swayze is fantastic as the upstanding boyfriend, co-worker & man who is confounded by the situation he finds himself in. He is relatable, desperate in his convictions, funny {I'm reminded of him 'haunting' Oda Mae by continually singing "I'm Henry the 8th I am, En-er-ree the 8th I am, I AM ..." until she acquiesces to his fervent request for help}, and utterly romantic in any scene with Molly. One of the best scenes signifies belief in life after death where Sam is able to take over Oda Mae's body to use her physical presence as a conduit for caressing & dancing with the woman he loves. It is a poignant scene that is then jolted away by the danger of Carl making his presence known. This film would not have worked without Swayze.
Demi Moore excels as Molly, as well. We feel her utter despair in losing the man she loves, and also feel her torment when deciding whether or not to believe Oda Mae's insistence that Sam is trying to communicate with her. When Molly receives damning news that Oda Mae is a phony psychic, we 'understand' why Molly refuses to trust her, while also wanting to jump through the screen to shake her in to belief. And there is one late moment in the film where something incredible is revealed and, as the music swells, it crescendos on the moment when one tear falls down Molly's cheek as she finally believes that her one true love is actually there with her from the afterlife. This movie is brimming with instance of move magic such as this.
And Whoopi Goldberg deserves her Best Supporting Oscar win for her hysterical, yet moving performance as the fraudulent-psychic-with-a-heart-of-gold who learns that she is blessed/cursed with the gift, after all. There is a bank scene in the middle of the film that had me in stitches as Oda Mae is trying to emotionally hold it together while trying to acquire a check for $2 million for purposes of helping Sam make his case of Carl's betrayal. But Goldberg's dramatic acumen is equally impressive during the action climax & tear-inducing denouement. Despite some moments of schmaltz & implausibility, this hybrid comedy-murder mystery-love story shines as the type of involving mainstream entertainment that they just don't make anymore.