A Ghost Story

Name: A Ghost Story
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Released: July 7, 2017
Duration: 92 min
Rating: 84
Cast: Barlow Jacobs, Casey Affleck, Dagger Salazar, Grover Coulson, Kenneisha Thompson

2017

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 46 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 287 Ratings

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7.0

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7.0	Your Score
7.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 287 Ratings

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A Ghost Story

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Movie Details & Credits

A24 | Release Date: July 7, 2017 | Not Rated

Starring: Barlow Jacobs, Casey Affleck, Dagger Salazar, Grover Coulson, Kenneisha Thompson, Liz Franke, McColm Cephas Jr., Richard Krause, Rooney Mara, Sonia Acevedo

Summary: Recently deceased, a white-sheeted ghost (Casey Affleck) returns to his suburban home to console his bereft wife (Rooney Mara), only to find that in his spectral state he has become unstuck in time, forced to watch passively as the life he knew and the woman he loves slowly slip away. Increasingly unmoored, the ghost embarks on a cosmicRecently deceased, a white-sheeted ghost (Casey Affleck) returns to his suburban home to console his bereft wife (Rooney Mara), only to find that in his spectral state he has become unstuck in time, forced to watch passively as the life he knew and the woman he loves slowly slip away. Increasingly unmoored, the ghost embarks on a cosmic journey through memory and history, confronting life’s ineffable questions and the enormity of existence. [A24]… Expand

Director: David Lowery

Genre(s): Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 92 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

The Telegraph Robbie Collin

Aug 24, 2017

It exists in an eerie cinematic in-between, and is completely unlike anything else you’ll see this year. Read full review

100

Tim Grierson

Jan 22, 2017

David Lowery’s beautifully conceived riff on the haunted-house movie emits an extra glow thanks to challenging but resonant performances from Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara. Read full review

100

A.O. Scott

Jul 6, 2017

A Ghost Story is suspenseful, dourly funny and at times piercingly emotional. Read full review

Joshua Rothkopf

Jan 24, 2017

Lowery is committing to nothing less than the scope of eternity; frankly, sometimes it feels as much. But by doing so, he does more to explore supernatural sadness than any thriller I can think of. He’s crafted something strange and wonderful, with a romantic metaphysics all its own. Read full review

Joe Walsh

Aug 24, 2017

It's an offbeat narrative, and it demands patience, but it's so worth the wait in the final moments of the film, proving to be a graceful examination of love found and lost. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Jul 12, 2017

Roughly 60 percent of A Ghost Story is disturbingly beautiful and spiritually challenging and stuck to me like a memory magnet. About 40 percent of A Ghost Story is maddeningly still and achingly self-conscious and just a little too pleased with itself. Read full review

Sam C. Mac

Jul 2, 2017

An empty exercise in imitative long-take aestheticism, A Ghost Story fills its distractingly round-cornered frame with endless repetitions on a visual gag. Read full review

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User Reviews

Lexixel

Jul 17, 2017

A very good movie.I love the music in it. For those who gave zero without watching it, seriously, this is disrespectful to other staff who were working in this project; btw, if you believe those accusations, read those legal files online filed by both parties, see the evidence yourself,A very good movie.I love the music in it. For those who gave zero without watching it, seriously, this is disrespectful to other staff who were working in this project; btw, if you believe those accusations, read those legal files online filed by both parties, see the evidence yourself, don't just read the news and jump to the conclusion.… Expand

8 of 16 users found this helpful88

Panchogul

Apr 5, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A Ghost Story es una película de carácter minimalista y a su vez muy envolvente, nos pone en dos perspectivas diferentes, la primera de una persona que tiene que lidiar con la reciente y abrupta perdida de su ser amado y el como dicha alma perdida sigue presente en su entorno, por otro lado tenemos a la fallecida alma en pena antes mencionada que una vez se da cuenta de que aquella persona a la que decidió quedarse a cuidar se ve atrapada forzada a quedarse en ese plano espiritual y a su vez físico por el resto de la eternidad y ver a toda la gente que reside en el hogar de la desdichada pareja.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

benskylerhill

May 13, 2018

Let us be known that A Ghost Story is not a film for the casual moviegoer. This is a work of complex art and it should be viewed as such. There is very sparse dialogue throughout as it relies mostly on visual, symbolic storytelling to convey its message of how grief, the passage of time, andLet us be known that A Ghost Story is not a film for the casual moviegoer. This is a work of complex art and it should be viewed as such. There is very sparse dialogue throughout as it relies mostly on visual, symbolic storytelling to convey its message of how grief, the passage of time, and love affect the human soul. And I must say, it accomplishes this beautifully.

There is very little acting and there are few spoken lines in this film, but when these things are made manifest, they don’t distract from the visual narrative but rather add to it. The performances are so emotion-packed even though they hardly speak, and when they do speak there’s so much depth to what’s said that it’s worth watching the movie a second time to unpack the layers of symbolism beneath.

The cinematography is near perfection. Every shot, every scene, every camera angle, every colour is perfectly suited for the tone of the scene and it’s combined with music that’s hypnotic and pierces the soul with a shot of emotion and contemplation.

A Ghost Story is not built for an ordinary watching experience. It’s an intricate allegory about human nature and life and death. People who are not interested in thinking hard about a film will be bored out of their skulls, but for those keen on art, it’s the best piece of storytelling through imagery since Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Story: 10
Acting: 9
Script: 10
Visuals/Sound: 10
Entertainment Value: 8

OVERALL SCORE: 9.4/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Djakeir

Feb 20, 2019

Whilst this film is unapologetically aimed at millenials it offers something new and rather quite beautiful. It conveys tragedy and loss quite profoundly and yet with little to no dialogue. It is an extremely heavy film that has a heavy impact that death is supposed to have. It is not one toWhilst this film is unapologetically aimed at millenials it offers something new and rather quite beautiful. It conveys tragedy and loss quite profoundly and yet with little to no dialogue. It is an extremely heavy film that has a heavy impact that death is supposed to have. It is not one to watch over and over again unless you want to slip into a permanent depression.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TVJerry

Aug 7, 2017

If it hadn't been for Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara starring as a married couple, I doubt this film would have gotten made. It's so self-indulgent and somewhat pretentious. His character dies early on and comes back to haunt their home in a flowing white sheet with 2 eye holes. Other hintsIf it hadn't been for Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara starring as a married couple, I doubt this film would have gotten made. It's so self-indulgent and somewhat pretentious. His character dies early on and comes back to haunt their home in a flowing white sheet with 2 eye holes. Other hints that this was a hollow exercise in art: the screen format is square with rounded edges and every scene unfolds with a sloooow pace and usually static camera (the worst is watching her eat a pie in wide shots for at least 5 minutes). In case you hadn't figured it out, this is NOT a horror movie. It's not that kind of spectre, but a lonely soul on an existential journey. I'll concede that the plot is original and ultimately "haunting," but the pain leading up to it will only appeal to those who like pensive reflections on life, love and eternity.… Expand

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

jamsie

Sep 20, 2017

I was pretty underwhelmed by the movie I have to say. Nothing substantial happens in the first 20 minutes. I felt the movie was trying to creation meaningful connections and emotions and I don't think it was quite successful. I'm a fan of Rooney Mara but in recent movies (the goddamnI was pretty underwhelmed by the movie I have to say. Nothing substantial happens in the first 20 minutes. I felt the movie was trying to creation meaningful connections and emotions and I don't think it was quite successful. I'm a fan of Rooney Mara but in recent movies (the goddamn atrocious Song to Song, for example), she has played non-descript roles that don't make her shine.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

SWEEPtheLEG175

May 26, 2019

How is filming someone for 15min straight while they are eating a pie called "art"? That is all you need to know about this film, there is a scene where you just watch someone eat pie for 15min(believe it or not 15min might be under estimation).

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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45	#45 Best Movie of 2017
65	#65 Most Discussed Movie of 2017
61	#61 Most Shared Movie of 2017