Starring
Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara, Will Oldhan, Sonia Acevedo, Rob Zabrecky,
Liz Franke, Kesha (though you won't see her). Directed by David
Lowery. (2017, 92 min).
During his 70's glory years, Elton John recorded a relatively obscure song called "Ticking," which was probably intended to be nothing more than album filler. It's just Elton at his piano, singing what is, to this day, the saddest song I ever heard. Not depressing...just sad, and the more I listened to it, the more I loved how that song made me feel.
David Lowery's A Ghost Story reminds me a lot of that song, and if
nothing else, I've never seen anything quite like it.
Casey
Affleck is C, a musician who's killed in a car accident, then returns home as a white-sheeted ghost, watching in silence as his
wife, M (Rooney Mara) deals with her loss and moves on. Unwilling or
unable to leave, C remains a constant presence as others move in and out of the house
over the years. His only 'company' is another spirit dwelling next
door, who's waiting for someone to return, but can't remember who.
To
describe the story in further detail would be spoiling its many
surprises, but this narratively challenging film boasts a bounty of unexpected story turns, blink-and-you'll-miss-it
revelations and striking imagery. Oddly enough, though, most of the plot is devoid of exposition and there's very little actual dialogue - an obnoxious
supporting character says more in his brief, nihilistic monologue than the
rest of the cast combined. We learn about the two main characters
mostly through a few early scenes which, at first glance, seem
mundane, but it's really all we need to invest ourselves in C's
"journey." The rest is a triumph of minimalist storytelling.
 |
| One of A Ghost Story's big action scenes. |
And
once the viewer grows accustomed to the deliberate pace and
unorthodox narrative transitions, there are moments as emotionally
powerful as cinema gets. Also amazing is the fact that, even though C
spends 95% of the film under a sheet - with just two expressionless
eyeholes crudely cut in the cloth - he's effectively able to convey a gamut of emotions...sorrow, confusion, rage, longing. I suppose one can attribute that to
Affleck. Because he has more-or-less played the same guy in every
movie I've ever seen him in, I found him far more interesting as a ghost
than the scenes where we actually have to look at him.
 |
| Affleck emotes as only he can. |
But A Ghost Story requires effort - and a considerable amount of patience - on
the viewer's part. There were a few times when I
felt the whole thing might have worked better as a short, including at least
three scenes where, if the film had ended right there, it would have been poignantly poetic. But then we'd miss out on some truly stunning moments in the
third act, including one jaw-dropping scene when we learn just how
long C has been waiting.
Dripping
with melancholy without ever turning overtly depressing, A Ghost
Story is a unique film which ultimately plays like one of those
wonderfully sad songs that manages to get stuck in your head. While
narratively demanding, it's actually an emotionally simple story
filled with haunting imagery that will stay with the viewer long after it's
over.
EXTRA
KIBBLES
FEATURETTES:
"A Ghost Story and the Inevitable Passage of Time"
(Round-table discussion of the production); "A Composer's Story"
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SCENE
AUDIO
COMMENTARY
DIGITAL
COPY
ASSORTED
TRAILERS
KITTY CONSENSUS:
PURR-R-R. LIKE A GHOSTLY SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS
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