A Lot More Going On Here Than Some Will Give It Credit For

Rating: Null/10 (6 September 2012)

Ghost (1990)
*** (out of 4)
After being murdered, a man's spirit (Patrick Swayze) remains on Earth to look after his fiancé (Demi Moore) as well as try and find out why he was killed. The only one who can see him is a fake future teller (Whoopi Goldberg) who reluctantly agrees to help his cause. It's easy to see why GHOST made so much money when it was originally released and why it remains so popular to this day. No, it's not a CITIZEN KANE and it's not a film that's ground-breaking but in regards to pure entertainment it pretty much delivers on all levels. Yes the story is fairly simple but it allows for some great performances, good direction and several very memorable scenes, which is more than enough for a film like this. There's no doubt that the film wouldn't have been as strong had it not been for the terrific cast with all of them fitting their roles perfectly. Swayze offers up one of his best performances as he has to hit several emotional levels throughout the picture and he does it with ease. It's very easy to connect with him and this allows you to care about what's going on and want to see him get his revenge as well as protect the one he loves. I think Moore gets the least flashy character in the film but she still makes a very good love target and there's no question that she's got a rich chemistry with Swayze. The same is true for Goldberg who shines in her Oscar-winning performance. She certainly brings this serious film a lot of needed comic relief and there's really no one else that could have done this part so well. Tony Goldwyn is perfect as the sleazy villain and there's no doubt that he deserved a lot more attention and credit for making the film as good as it is. Everyone remembers the Unchained Melody love sequence and it's certainly a very memorable but there are other great scenes scattered throughout the picture. GHOST isn't a masterpiece but it's about as good as you could hope in a film like it. Director Jerry Zucker deserves a lot of credit for being able to mix up the drama, romance and comedy as well as he did.