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Ghost Customer Reviews (31 - 33 of 49 Reviews)

A classic in the making
"Ghost" is not a classic film in the manner of "Gone With The Wind" or "Casablanca". However, this little film caught the heart of the public with the hopeful promise of its premise and ending and fifteen years after its first release, it is still being watched. Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze and Tony Goldwyn were all very young when they made this film, but young people were needed for their roles. Whoopi Goldberg does a wonderful job as the medium with a questionable past who is trying hard not to let her better side get the best of her. The Academy cited her work by awarding her an Oscar that year. Also, featured is the wonderful character actor, Vincent Schavelli, as a schizaphrenic ghost who lives in the subway and shows Swayze's character how to "survive" in the world of the living.

The story is simple. Swayze is about to discover that his best friend, Goldwyn, is acting as a go-between in a money laundering scheme. Unknowingly, he has come into possession of the little black book which will bring down the whole scheme. Goldwyn's hired thug kills Swayze during the attempt to get back the book. Moore, as Swayze's fiancee, is devastated and continues her life in deep grief. If her performance lacks depth, it may be that someone in this state is really only going through the motions of living. Swayze is caught in the world of the living, perhaps because of the unfinished business his sudden death has left. As he moves through this world, he discovers what really happened, and why he was attacked. Because Moore is now in possession of the incriminating book, Goldwyn and his henchman must get the book back. The book is also needed because the account numbers where the money is parked are in it. Swayze, needing to warn Moore that she is in danger, uses Goldberg's skills as a medium, to contact her. Information, which only Moore and Swayze knew, is used to convince Moore that Swayze's ghost is still on earth, and Goldberg is acting on his behalf. Swayze discovers that Goldman is going to transfer the money into an offshore account, and, in a very funny sequence, Goldberg dressed up in a bright pink suit and armed with fake identification, withdraws the money and, after some soul searching and pressure, signs the four million dollar check over to a group of nuns collecting money for the homeless. Goldwyn, discovering that the money is gone, goes after Goldberg, and, not able to find her, move on to Moore's apartment. Goldwyn, in his desperation, attacks both Goldberg and Moore and is killed.

As you can see, this is a very straightforward, simple story. The reason it has held its own over the years is that it shows Swayze protecting Moore and bringing the guilty to punishment. Many of us believe in guardian angels. There are also two scenes where Moore, first through Goldberg, and then on her own (because of the pureness of the love she shared with Swayze?) is able to see and touch Swayze. Which of us, having lost someone dear to us, hasn't wished for one more chance to speak to or touch that person, if only for a short while. Finally, Swayze must go because as Goldberg tells him "they are waiting for you". In the distance, we see a bright light and shiny figures. Again, this fulfills the hope of many of that this isn't the end, and there really will be love ones waiting to meet us as we leave this world for the next.

NO DITTO
For the longest time all I could remember about this film was that the villain's name was Willie Lopez. I had a dog named Lopez, so it was hard not to associate the two. I also remember that my French teacher in high school for some reason loved Ghost (although he called it The Ghost) and announced one day that we would all watch Ghost and all benefit and learn from it because it was such a fabulous and otherworldly film. I, for one, laughed throughout. Parts that were supposed to be romantic, loving, touching, or otherwise emotional were so contrived that it was not credible. Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze are two of the worst actors in modern cinema. Swayze particularly lacks the depth and talent necessary to convey the kind of love he supposedly feels and definitely lacks the depth to convey the level of frustration he feels when he is dead but has unfinished business to take care of. Tony Goldwyn and Whoopi Goldberg are the two best things about the movie. Goldwyn as the ultimate villain, Carl, who orchestrated Swayze's murder and tries then to seduce Moore. Goldberg won an Oscar for her portrayal of a psychic who never actually believed she had psychic powers until Swayze's ghost came along and convinced her to help him catch and punish Carl and save Molly (Demi Moore). People who like really sappy love stories and far fetched tales will appreciate this film. In fact many people like it. It is a crowd pleaser, but it was too idiosyncratic for me.

a real 'weepy'
This is a real tearjerker of a movie. Watch it with a box of tissues to hand.
It essentially covers the theme of life after death and is about Sam (Patrick Swayze) and his girlfriend Molly (Demi Moore) and their lives after Sam is murdered.
The real scene-stealer is Whoopie Goldberg as the medium trying to act as go between. She manages to inject humour into the role, which stops the film becoming too morose. Her reaction when she realises she has real psychic powers and is not just a fake conning bereaved people is hilarious.
Well worth watching.

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