When on a date with his girlfriend--Molly Jensen (Demi Moore)--Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) is robbed and attacked at gunpoint. When the unfortunate situation turns even more violent, Sam is murdered by the assailant and left laying in the arms of his lover. The Ghost of Sam sticks around, initially unsure of what his purpose is, Sam begins to understand that the events on the night of his death will cause a chain reaction that will trickle down and affect the woman that he loves. With the help of a less-than-enthusiastic medium, Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), Sam and Molly have the ability, once again, to communicate with one another. Can Sam warn Molly of the danger headed her way, or will harm find her as well?
Before I get into the bulk of the story and the other aspects of Ghost, the most important failure of the film is the portrayal of Sam’s murderer, Willie Lopez (Rick Avilies). Avilies’ portrayal of Willie is so incredibly cliché, making this egregious bad guy less than intimidating. Drinking liquor from an unlabeled bottle and having mysterious phone conversations rip the life from Willie and make him minutely intimidating and incredibly boring.
Within Jerry Zucker’s Ghost are a few storylines that drive the film and help to develop the characters. The obvious storyline is of the stuck in the afterlife Sam who is determined to reach Molly and save her life, but along with this there are themes of conspiracy to commit murder, theft, romance, and the list goes on and on. With all of these intertwined storylines and themes, aspects of what takes place waters down a main plotline that is sure to intrigue audiences. Sam’s story and each of the events that unfold leading to gargantuan twists and turns, ultimately impressing audiences, are well-written, but the romance, the unyielding romance between Sam and Molly makes the story feel childish. As the mystery behind Sam’s developing murder, the love that Sam feels, while passionate, true and relatable, conflicts with the main storyline. With the internal conflict of Ghost, the film fails to entertain as thoroughly as it could have.
The famed Patrick Swazye typically fails to live up to the expectations set by his millions of fans. His acting ability, while not the worst Hollywood has ever seen, lacks the talent necessary to deliver performances worthy of the praise he receives. I’ve struggled over the years to find his appeal, yet, when on screen with Goldberg, Swayze shines like I’ve never seen before. From minute to minute Swayze’s attitude and performance change drastically. It is quite clear that while on screen by himself, he struggles to fill the space on set and present viewers with a genuine performance. Yet, when Goldberg shows up and the two share dialogue his talent shines through. Swayze and Goldberg share a connection, an energy that is indescribable. She brings out the best in him and allows Sam to present audiences with humor and a plethora of other emotions throughout Ghost.
Swayze’s inexplicably dull demeanor when Goldberg is not present, the watered down murder mystery--as a result of the unnecessary romance--and the laughable cliché that is Willie Lopez make Ghost difficult to appreciate on number of levels. There is a diamond in the rough that audiences are able to mine if they sort through these aforementioned atrocities. The roots of the story are intriguing, and the combination of Golberg and Swayze just might be one of the best duos I’ve seen on screen. Ghost is not all that it’s cracked up to be, but this emotionally gripping tandem should give you reason enough to watch at least once.
Directed by Jerry Zucker. Written by Bruce Joel Rubin. Starring Patrick Swayze, Whoopi Goldberg, Demi Moore, Tony Goldwyn, Rick Aviles, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
Comments