Invisible man.

Rating: 7/10 (18 February 2020)

'Ghost (1990)' is much more than its reputation would have you believe. That is to say, it's not just 'that movie where Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore get stuck into some clay'. It's a mystery-thriller with romantic aspects, much more concerned with its spooky situation than it is with its 'ooey gooey' stuff. Of course, the romance is still integral to the plot. It's also integral to your investment, as it ensures that you care about the central characters and the tragic events that they become involved with. It's interesting to see a ghost movie entirely from the perspective of the ghost. There's a unique sense of longing and frustration that comes with such an existential premise. It makes for some satisfying moments later on, once Swayze's leading man has learnt how to communicate with the land of the living. It also allows for some inventively delivered narrative twists. The special effects are still pretty great, especially when it comes to the 'going through things' stuff. Of course, its seams are starting to show but it's all still convincing enough to work. As are the performances, which are sometimes a little broad but are typically incredibly emotionally charged. The highlight for me is Tony Goldwyn, whose increasingly desperate decline is actually agitating to watch. All in all, the picture is surprisingly enjoyable. It has its problems, of course. Primarily, these occur whenever the comedy becomes too over-the-top for the established tone. The typically saccharine affair does sometimes teeter into straight-up sappiness, too. Despite this, the experience just works. It's emotional, exciting and unique. It's undeniably effective and downright entertaining, to boot. To be honest, it's really, really good.