Common Sense Note
Parents should know that sexual content, violence, and strong language make this movie highly questionable for kids under 13 and for more sensitive teens. There's no nudity, but plenty of alluring shots. One bad guy is squished between two vehicles and the other is pierced through the torso by a jagged sheet of glass.
Families who see this movie might discuss formula. Why do the good guys tend to win in big Hollywood movies? If the movie had a more amibiguous ending, would it be as popular? Can you think of movies or other stories that didn't conclude happily? Did those movies leave you disastified but thinking about the ending? What about this movie?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Randy White
A murdered man avenges his own death and saves his girlfriend from the clutches of a killer with the help of an eccentric spiritualist. It's melodramatic and spiritually simplistic, but the combination of comedy, thrills, and mushy romance will be irresistible to some.
When Sam (Patrick Swayze) is killed by a mugger, he's left in some kind of limbo here on earth, able to witness events but unable to communicate with the living. He turns to Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), a wacky spiritual advisor, for help tracking down his killer and protecting his distraught romantic partner, Molly (Demi Moore). Through Oda Mae, Sam is able to talk to Molly and they even have one last physical encounter through Oda Mae's body.
Sam and Oda Mae manage to discover the killer, who turns out to be Sam's embezzling co-worker and former best friend, Carl. In a wild climax, Sam kills Carl, who's then carried away by nasty demons. With Molly watching, Sam ascends in a beautiful, white light.
GHOST doesn't explain why bad things happen to good people, but it tries to reassure us that good people can find divine justice. Filled with ersatz spirituality, the movie presents a syrupy vision of the afterlife; the good guys ascend to heaven in a beam of light and bad guys are carried to hell by demons.
In the first 40 minutes, the movie plays like a melodrama, chock-a-block with unrestrained passion, gruesome murder, and plenty of suspense. With the introduction of Whoopi Goldberg (Sister Act) as a storefront spiritual advisor, the movie radically changes direction to become a comedy. One 16-year-old liked the movie's abrupt turn. The romance, which he described as "just too much," never really appealed to him. Of course, some teens may enjoy seeing how love can conquer all -- even murder.
If you're looking for a less violent tale of love that survives one partner's death, check out Always, starring Holly Hunter, John Goodman, and Richard Dreyfuss. Fans of Patrick Swayze won't want to miss '80s classic Dirty Dancing.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentA joke about a genital rash. The stars create a phallic object on a pottery wheel and then make passionate love. There's no nudity, but plenty of alluring shots. |
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ViolenceSam is shot and killed in a violent mugging. The bad guys' deaths are gruesome; one is squished between two vehicles and the other is pierced through the torso by a jagged sheet of glass. |
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LanguageThe gamut of mild curses to more serious language, including the f-word. |
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Social BehaviorSam kills his murderers. Puerto Ricans are the bad guys. Although funny, Whoopi Goldberg's character portrays African-American women in a negative light. |
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