These days, most of us are desperately trying to remember the things that made us happy when we were younger. It wasn’t long before makers of media and various products caught on that nostalgia is a very easy way of selling things to the masses. In turn the more cynical minded among us have caught on, and refuse to partake of anything that markets itself as “retro.” I mean, I get it. Even though I’m EXTREMELY easy to convince to buy into something if it reminds me of my youth, being pandered doesn’t always make me feel great about it. But occasionally a show, film, or even a song comes along that isn’t trying to copy and paste a retro style or existing property, yet brings back a flood of wonderful nostalgic memories and feelings. I am happy to say, We Have a Ghost, the latest Netflix original movie, is one of those rare gems.
The film follows the Presley family (Anthony Mackie and Erica Ash) and their sons Kevin (Jahi Di’Allo Winston) and Fulton (Niles Fitch), who move into an extremely old, suspiciously cheap home in the suburbs. However, they soon discover that their house is haunted by a ghost named Ernest (David Harbour), who died sometime in the 1960s or 1970s and is trapped in the house. At first, all of the family except Kevin is scared of Ernest, but they soon realize that he’s harmless and just wants to solve the mystery of his death. Their dad, Frank decides to start a YouTube channel to try to get wealthy off the back of Ernest which works magnifically.
With the help of Kevin’s next door neighbor/classmate Joy (Isabella Russo), they start to uncover clues about how to figure out what happened to Ernest, and the group goes on a wild adventure to find the truth. Along the way, they encounter a number of obstacles, including a team of CIA ghost hunters who are after Ernest, led by Dr. Leslie Monroe (Tig Notaro).
We Have a Ghost is directed and written by Christopher Landon, based on a short story called “Ernest” by Geoff Manaugh. Christophy Landon, known for horror/comedy films such as Happy Death Day, Freaky, and Scouts Guide to the Apocalypse, proves again that he is able to mesh the two worlds of teen comedy and horror masterfully. Because of this, it reminds me a lot of the 80’s, early 90’s in its tone, back when you could make a horror comedy without parody. It’s both nostalgic and refreshing.
Overall, We Have a Ghost is a fun and lighthearted film that will entertain audiences looking for a good laugh. The performances by the cast are all solid, with David Harbour and Jahi Di’Allo Winston standing out as the highlights. The chemistry between the actors is also great and adds to the humor and heart of the film. David Harbour deserves a special shout out as his role was almost exclusively silent except groans. The film’s visual effects are impressive, especially in the scenes where Ernest reveals his ghostly powers. The film is also one of those instances of having an unexpectedly impressive soundtrack that complements the film’s tone and adds to the overall experience.
Yes, the story is fairly predictable (with a few pleasant surprises), but the film manages to keep things fresh with its clever dialogue and comedic moments. It feels both nostalgic of films similar to this, such as Casper and Beetlejuice, but is original enough to differentiate them and not feel in any way pandered to. Dare I say, We Have a Ghost isn’t a call back to our favorite supernatural comedy films, but rather is their successor. While it may not be the most groundbreaking film, it’s definitely worth a watch for its great cast, witty dialogue, and overall fun tone while offering some genuine hair-raising tension, and heartfelt moments.
