Michael Keaton's Leading Performance Is Hilarious

Rating: Null/10 (28 October 2002)

After flops like "Johnny Dangerously" and "Gung Ho", Michael Keaton's once promising film career seemed to be on the verge of being completely dead but it was suddenly revived with the success of this 1988 Warner Brothers release. Keaton is hilarious and has his best role in this bizarre fantasy comedy about a recently deceased couple (Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin) who really disapprove of the new couple (Catherine O'Hara, Jeffrey Jones) that has bought their house. A manic poltergeist (Keaton) offers to help the spirits rid their beloved house of these newcomers since they can't scare them themselves. A bad situation quickly turns worse through a series of incidents blending horror and fantasy with comedy. The special effects are impressive and come at a nearly nonstop pace. Keaton is the real star here portraying the title role with some of the best comic moments of 1980's films.