David Lowery has seen a meteoric rise to critical acclaim over the last few years, thanks to the trifecta of Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Pete's Dragon, and A Ghost Story. And while I haven't seen the former, my experiences with the next two projects on that list have led me to one conclusion- Lowery's films are just not my speed. I was really looking forward to Pete's Dragon last summer, hoping for a childhood fable that could stand alongside Steven Spielberg's E.T. and Brad Bird's The Iron Giant. And when the reviews praised it as such, my excitement grew. But despite occasional flashes of emotional poignancy, I was thoroughly let down by Lowery's film, finding it to be hollow and dramatically inert, lacking any real arc or strong connection. When the praise for Lowery hit a fever pitch once more with the Sundance debut of his low-budget drama A Ghost Story, I bit into the hype all over again.
And of course, I left disappointed. This strange creation is simply too innovative and unique to dismiss, but Lowery has made another movie that has moments of strong emotional resonance housed within a narrative that just doesn't work. It's not that I didn't get what he was going for- it's an odyssey of time and space that raises big questions and attempts to answer them in a purely visual manner. In fact, Lowery practically explains his entire narrative with a monologue from a rambling guy at a party (Will Oldham) who has plenty to say about the universe and our ultimate purpose in the world. It's rare to find a film that is both so esoteric and so obvious, but A Ghost Story manages to pull off that magic trick. But for all of its deliberate pacing (and that's being kind) and philosophical mumbling, the film never successfully manages to commit to its emotional arc. As it moves away from the relationship between its two main characters (Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara) and attempts to tackle something bigger, the journey loses some of its bite. It's the kind of film that will test your patience and then some, and while there's certainly some fascinating stuff going on, my gut instinct tells me that A Ghost Story just does not work.
How do I describe the plot of this film? Is it even worth putting in standard narrative terms? This question has rattled around in my head over the last few days. Essentially, A Ghost Story follows a couple, who go only by the monikers of C (Affleck) and M (Mara). We don't know if they're married or just dating, but we do know that they move into an old house that practically always sounds like it's haunted. One day, C is killed in a horrific car accident, leaving M without her partner and best friend. But at the morgue, something happens- C wakes up as a ghost, covered in the sheet that was placed over him in his dying moments. The Ghost then wanders around the world, as the mortal beings that surround him seem completely oblivious to his existence. He watches the devastation that comes in the aftermath of his passing, sees the world change right before his eyes, and even finds himself unbound by the limits of time. It's pretty crazy stuff.
But more than a traditional story, Lowery's film is experimental cinema that plays with pacing and atmosphere to create an experience, one that isn't exactly pleasant to endure. A Ghost Story mixes the other-worldly musings of Stanley Kubrick with the low-key minimalism of modern independent films. It has more than a little bit in common with The Discovery, 2017's other Rooney Mara afterlife vehicle, a film that I called "mumblecore Kubrick" on its release back in April. Lowery has made a slow movie to say the least, and at its worst, A Ghost Story is ponderous to the point of putting its audience to sleep. For a while, the film's slow and meandering flow can be seen as a virtue- it allows you to consider the images on screen, to witness the devastation and the emotion on display in a very honest, frank way. There are some jaw-dropping moments of raw emotional power, and there's an evocative cinematic charm that works wonders during the first half of the story.
Yet Lowery's approach grows exhausting after a while, and he makes a crucial mistake in balancing the intimate story with his sweeping intellectual ambitions. A Ghost Story can never decide if it's a movie about a couple in the wake of a tragedy, or if it's a cosmic journey that goes beyond that. The latter aspect could have worked wonders if the film wasn't so absurdly frustrating. As the Ghost travels back in time, Lowery's pacing began to test my patience, and the mix of philosophizing and Malick-style wandering leads to nowhere. There's a predictability that feels off in such an abstract film, and there were several plot points and thematic ideas that I caught onto rather quickly. Lowery has interesting ideas, but his approach is so heavy and so devoid of charm or humor (beyond some weird attempts with the ghosts) that much of his storytelling punch is lost in the shuffle.
A Ghost Story has moments. The infamous pie scene packs an unexpected emotional wallop, an unbroken shot that can drive you to tears simply from the purity and intensity of its images. It's a masterpiece of composition, and I deeply understood the sense of grief and pain that Mara's character was feeling. But there's a long stretch in the film that is difficult to get through, and I have a feeling that even the most seasoned of cinephiles will struggle with this one at times. The ending has its merits, and yet the film had already lost me by the time that the story was wrapped up. Lowery is dealing with a lot of concepts that I find inherently fascinating, so it tells you quite a bit that I found this film to be so dull.
Lowery remains an enigma to me, and while A Ghost Story is simply too weird and too unique to outright reject, I can't say that I got much out of this film. There's one masterful, painstaking scene- and then everything else is just kind of a tough pill to swallow. The film demands to be seen for the conversation and reaction that it sparks, but there's no denying that Lowery's lofty ambitions are not matched by the execution. I wanted to love this singular experience, but I left disappointed. It's challenging and strange and maybe you'll adore it much more than I did. But I can't lie about how I felt- A Ghost Story didn't do much for me.
THE FINAL GRADE: C (5.8/10)
Images courtesy of A24
And of course, I left disappointed. This strange creation is simply too innovative and unique to dismiss, but Lowery has made another movie that has moments of strong emotional resonance housed within a narrative that just doesn't work. It's not that I didn't get what he was going for- it's an odyssey of time and space that raises big questions and attempts to answer them in a purely visual manner. In fact, Lowery practically explains his entire narrative with a monologue from a rambling guy at a party (Will Oldham) who has plenty to say about the universe and our ultimate purpose in the world. It's rare to find a film that is both so esoteric and so obvious, but A Ghost Story manages to pull off that magic trick. But for all of its deliberate pacing (and that's being kind) and philosophical mumbling, the film never successfully manages to commit to its emotional arc. As it moves away from the relationship between its two main characters (Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara) and attempts to tackle something bigger, the journey loses some of its bite. It's the kind of film that will test your patience and then some, and while there's certainly some fascinating stuff going on, my gut instinct tells me that A Ghost Story just does not work.
How do I describe the plot of this film? Is it even worth putting in standard narrative terms? This question has rattled around in my head over the last few days. Essentially, A Ghost Story follows a couple, who go only by the monikers of C (Affleck) and M (Mara). We don't know if they're married or just dating, but we do know that they move into an old house that practically always sounds like it's haunted. One day, C is killed in a horrific car accident, leaving M without her partner and best friend. But at the morgue, something happens- C wakes up as a ghost, covered in the sheet that was placed over him in his dying moments. The Ghost then wanders around the world, as the mortal beings that surround him seem completely oblivious to his existence. He watches the devastation that comes in the aftermath of his passing, sees the world change right before his eyes, and even finds himself unbound by the limits of time. It's pretty crazy stuff.
But more than a traditional story, Lowery's film is experimental cinema that plays with pacing and atmosphere to create an experience, one that isn't exactly pleasant to endure. A Ghost Story mixes the other-worldly musings of Stanley Kubrick with the low-key minimalism of modern independent films. It has more than a little bit in common with The Discovery, 2017's other Rooney Mara afterlife vehicle, a film that I called "mumblecore Kubrick" on its release back in April. Lowery has made a slow movie to say the least, and at its worst, A Ghost Story is ponderous to the point of putting its audience to sleep. For a while, the film's slow and meandering flow can be seen as a virtue- it allows you to consider the images on screen, to witness the devastation and the emotion on display in a very honest, frank way. There are some jaw-dropping moments of raw emotional power, and there's an evocative cinematic charm that works wonders during the first half of the story.
Yet Lowery's approach grows exhausting after a while, and he makes a crucial mistake in balancing the intimate story with his sweeping intellectual ambitions. A Ghost Story can never decide if it's a movie about a couple in the wake of a tragedy, or if it's a cosmic journey that goes beyond that. The latter aspect could have worked wonders if the film wasn't so absurdly frustrating. As the Ghost travels back in time, Lowery's pacing began to test my patience, and the mix of philosophizing and Malick-style wandering leads to nowhere. There's a predictability that feels off in such an abstract film, and there were several plot points and thematic ideas that I caught onto rather quickly. Lowery has interesting ideas, but his approach is so heavy and so devoid of charm or humor (beyond some weird attempts with the ghosts) that much of his storytelling punch is lost in the shuffle.
A Ghost Story has moments. The infamous pie scene packs an unexpected emotional wallop, an unbroken shot that can drive you to tears simply from the purity and intensity of its images. It's a masterpiece of composition, and I deeply understood the sense of grief and pain that Mara's character was feeling. But there's a long stretch in the film that is difficult to get through, and I have a feeling that even the most seasoned of cinephiles will struggle with this one at times. The ending has its merits, and yet the film had already lost me by the time that the story was wrapped up. Lowery is dealing with a lot of concepts that I find inherently fascinating, so it tells you quite a bit that I found this film to be so dull.
Lowery remains an enigma to me, and while A Ghost Story is simply too weird and too unique to outright reject, I can't say that I got much out of this film. There's one masterful, painstaking scene- and then everything else is just kind of a tough pill to swallow. The film demands to be seen for the conversation and reaction that it sparks, but there's no denying that Lowery's lofty ambitions are not matched by the execution. I wanted to love this singular experience, but I left disappointed. It's challenging and strange and maybe you'll adore it much more than I did. But I can't lie about how I felt- A Ghost Story didn't do much for me.
THE FINAL GRADE: C (5.8/10)
Images courtesy of A24
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