Ghost




You're dead Willy.

Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) has it all: a good job and a loving girlfriend, Molly Jensen (Demi Moore). These circumstances change quickly when he is abruptly killed, however. After this Ghost ventures into the supernatural as we follow Sam around as a ghost. Soon he finds that he wasn't killed accidentlly, but he was murdered to hide a plot at his bank. He also discovers that Molly is in danger, so he enlists the help of Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), a fake psychic who can hear Sam's voice for some reason.

The most entertaining part about this movie is inevitably the whole ghost angle. It presents a plausible view of what a spirit filled world might be like. It steers clear of any mention of god but there apparently is a heaven and a hell. Sam and Molly remain separated for most of the movie because of this, but it actually helps the story by making it different from the average action romance flick.

When the spiritual elements become too hokey, the comic relief is always there. And it's a good thing too, for it is just what this kind of movie needs. This is aptly provided by Whoopi Goldberg's character, whose part is perfectly written. When the movie gets serious things pick up as well. Ultimately though, the dramatic parts are a little soggy, but the comical and thrilling elements almost off balance that.

Swayze and Moore make this movie really work. They give believable performances as two souls separated too soon. I do wish they would have redone the scene where Sam dies, however. As mentioned before, Whoopi Goldberg earned her Oscar here, perfectly playing the reluctant medium.

This remains a somewhat engrossing story with an interesting twist added to it. The romance is played for all it's worth as "Unchained Melody" plays in the background.



-The Gnome