We Have a Ghost

Goofy but creepy supernatural tale has language, violence.
We Have a Ghost
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that We Have a Ghost is a dramatic comedy about a Black family that moves into a house and discovers it's haunted by an older White man, played by David Harbour. The teenage son, Kevin (Jahi Di'Allo Winston), befriends the ghost and shows compassion in trying to help him figure out how he died so he can "cross over." The ghost isn't scary, but sometimes he purposely tries to scare the living. These scenes can get creepy, like when the ghost contorts his body, melts his face, or tries to strangle a woman with a skinless arm that emerges from inside his mouth. Meanwhile, living adults, including police officers and CIA operatives, chase, threaten, shoot at, and try to capture or kill the ghosts and others, including teenagers. Violence involves guns, tasers, car chases, car crashes, people getting knocked over and hit over the head, and a man who is killed and buried. One man appears drunk, and another is said to have been a heavy drinker. Language includes "f--k," "s--t," "a--hole," "bitch," "douchebag," "d--k," and more. Teen kissing and references to "getting laid," strippers, boners, and dry humping.
Community Reviews
Boldly Racist and Distasteful!
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Racial Division Propaganda
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What's the Story?
A family of four has just relocated to a new house in Chicago at the start of WE HAVE A GHOST. What they don't know is that their new home, which seemed too cheap to believe, is widely known to be haunted. Withdrawn teen son Kevin (Jahi Di'Allo Winston) is the first to encounter the middle-aged ghost in the attic, Ernest (David Harbour). His dad, Frank (Anthony Mackie), and older brother, Fulton (Niles Fitch), quickly see a means to cash in by posting videos of Ernest to YouTube. Frank hasn't quite gotten his act together, and his wife (Erica Ash) and youngest son are regularly disappointed by him. Together with high school classmate and next-door neighbor Joy (Isabella Russo), Kevin is set on helping Ernest discover what happened to him in life so he can move on from his ghostly purgatory. That discovery gets complicated once word of Ernest gets out and everyone wants a piece of him.
Is It Any Good?
Part ghost story, part horror spoof, part family drama, and part caper, this film is a little all over the map and overly long, but still enjoyable. Teen star Winston shines in the lead role of We Have a Ghost. He's almost too good for this movie, bringing a level of seriousness to his performance that doesn't always match the film's overall kooky tone, but raises the whole affair up a notch. The film benefits from strong acting throughout and fun cameos (Jennifer Coolidge knocks her two scenes out of the park), though Harbour gets no spoken lines and is forced to emote with his eyebrows. A montage of TikTokers going nuts for the ghost is so on-point it's painfully funny. If the film had stuck with the humor and cut back on the violent scenes and sappy closure, it would have been a shorter, stronger movie overall.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what genre of film We Have a Ghost is. Is it horror? Comedy? Satire? Drama?
Why does Frank say parenting little kids is easier than teenagers? Do you agree with his point that kids grow up and recognize their parents' flaws? Is that necessarily a bad thing? Why or why not?
How does Kevin show compassion for Ernest? How do other characters show a lack of empathy for him?
Do you believe in ghosts? Why or why not?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: February 24, 2023
- Cast: Jahi Di’Allo Winston, David Harbour, Anthony Mackie
- Director: Christopher Landon
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters, Friendship, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Character Strengths: Compassion
- Run time: 127 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: language, some sexual/suggestive references and violence
- Last updated: March 16, 2023
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