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We Have a Ghost

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We Have a Ghost
Official release poster
Directed byChristopher Landon
Screenplay byChristopher Landon
Based on"Ernest"
by Geoff Manaugh
Produced by
  • Marty Bowen
  • Dan Halsted
Starring
CinematographyMarc Spicer
Edited byBen Baudhuin
Music byBear McCreary[1]
Production
companies
Distributed byNetflix
Release date
  • February 24, 2023 (2023-02-24)
Running time
127 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$51 million[2]

We Have a Ghost is 2023 American supernatural horror comedy film written and directed by Christopher Landon, based on the 2017 short story "Ernest" by Geoff Manaugh. It stars David Harbour, Jahi Winston, Tig Notaro, Jennifer Coolidge, and Anthony Mackie. It was released on February 24, 2023, by Netflix[3] and received mixed reviews from film critics.

Plot

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The Presleys purchase a large, cheap and abandoned house. Kevin, the youngest, discovers a ghost in the attic, who has been scaring off other intruders, and records a video of him. The next day, he talks to the ghost, who turns out to be mute and does not remember his past life. The ghost's shirt says 'Ernest', so Kevin calls him Ernest. Kevin is resolved to help Ernest discover his past, hoping it will help him find peace and crossover, while his father Frank publishes the video of Ernest on YouTube to become famous.

At high school Kevin teams up with his neighbor Joy. They discover a photo of Ernest posing with an Ernest Scheller, the previous house owner. Ernest has flashbacks of having a daughter.

Horror writer Dr. Leslie Monroe, who previously ran a CIA program for capturing ghosts, breaks into the Presley home to capture Ernest alongside several FBI agents, but Kevin, Joy and Ernest have already left to find Scheller in Oklahoma. Scheller identifies the ghost as Randy, his wife's sister's husband. He claims that after Randy's wife died, Randy left his daughter June with Scheller and disappeared. The CIA arrive in Oklahoma and capture Randy.

Frank apologises to Kevin for using Randy. While in captivity, Randy has a flashback of being killed by Scheller. Dr. Monroe has a change of heart and frees Randy. Meanwhile, Scheller arrives at the house to kill Kevin, believing Kevin knew what he did and was trying to avenge Randy's murder. Scheller reveals that his wife was infertile and ordered him to murder Randy so they could take June for their own. Scheller chases Kevin to the attic, where Randy arrives just in time to save him. Frank tackles Scheller out the window to his death. Kevin and Frank reunite Randy with a grown up June, and Randy moves on to the afterlife after a heartwarming goodbye with Kevin.

Kevin and Joy are now a couple and the Presleys are preparing to move to a different house only five miles away. Before leaving, Kevin and Joy are talking in the attic and he asks if she thinks Randy can still see them from wherever he is. After they leave the attic, a light flickers; possibly Randy’s way of saying he can and good-bye/thank you.

Cast

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In addition, Bob the Drag Queen and Dr. Phil McGraw have cameo appearances as themselves.[4][5]

Production

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Production of We Have a Ghost was announced in July 2021, with Christopher Landon writing and directing, and Geoff Manaugh, on whose short story it was based, as executive producer. The cast included Anthony Mackie, David Harbour, Jahi Winston, Tig Notaro, Jennifer Coolidge, Erica Ash, Niles Fitch, Isabella Russo, Faith Ford and Steve Coulter.[6] Harbour was Landon's first choice for the role of Ernest; as he told Entertainment Weekly: "I knew that the role was incredibly challenging because there's no dialog, so he just has to do so much with so little. We had a meeting, and he told me he was terrified of doing it, which I thought was great because it shows that he was feeling vulnerable and intrigued and excited. By the end of our meeting, I think we both felt really strongly that it was a good match".[7]

Principal photography began in August 2021 in Donaldsonville and New Orleans.[8] A few weeks into filming, production was halted because of the landfall of Hurricane Ida in Louisiana. Production resumed October to finish filming scenes in the Ascension Parish west bank city.[9][10]

Reception

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 42% of 73 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.1/10. The website's consensus reads: "We Have a Ghost has a fun concept and a talented cast; unfortunately, this spookily uneven '80s pastiche also has very little idea of what to do with them."[11] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 53 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[12]

Accolades

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Year Awards Category Recipient Result Ref.
2023 Australian Cinematographers Society Feature Films - Budget $3m and Over We Have a Ghost Won [13]
2024 Feature Film Won [14]

References

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  1. ^ "We Have a Ghost (2023)". Soundtrack.net. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  2. ^ "Fastlane NextGen: Initial Certification Search" (Type "We Have a Ghost" in the search box). Louisiana Economic Development. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  3. ^ Khosla, Proma (January 26, 2023). "Everything Coming to Netflix in February 2023". IndieWire. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  4. ^ Rudolph, Christopher (February 24, 2023). "Jennifer Coolidge Screams, Is a Queen in Netflix's We Have a Ghost". Logo TV. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  5. ^ Nordine, Michael (February 23, 2023). "We Have a Ghost Review: Netflix's Family-Friendly Haunted-House Movie Is a Fixer Upper". Variety. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  6. ^ Grobar, Matt (July 20, 2021). "Christopher Landon To Write & Direct Netflix Pic 'We Have A Ghost'; Anthony Mackie, David Harbour & More To Star". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  7. ^ Collis, Clark. "David Harbour's spooky spirit goes viral, scares Jennifer Coolidge in 'We Have a Ghost' trailer". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  8. ^ Tortorich, Michael. "Netflix movie 'We Have A Ghost' filming in Donaldsonville". Donaldsonville Chief. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  9. ^ Tortorich, Michael. "Netflix movie 'We Have A Ghost' production returns to Donaldsonville". Donaldsonville Chief. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  10. ^ Tortorich, Michael. "Filmed in Donaldsonville, We Have a Ghost to premiere Feb. 24 on Netflix". The Gonzales Weekly Citizen. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  11. ^ "We Have a Ghost". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  12. ^ "We Have a Ghost". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  13. ^ Knox, David (May 11, 2023). "Australian Cinematographer Awards 2023: winners". Tv Tonight. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  14. ^ Knox, David (May 5, 2024). "Australian Cinematographer Awards 2024: winners". Tv Tonight. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
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