A Ghost Story is a beautiful mediation on love, loss, and time, using creative storytelling and beautifully simplistic visuals to craft a unique and gorgeous film. The film follows a woman (Rooney Mara) who’s life is seen through the eyes of her late husband (Casey Affleck), who wanders the Earth as a ghost seeking meaning. Mara and Affleck are excellent here, but it’s the overarching story that takes precedent here; director David Lowery tells his story with long, lingering intimacy, as well as enigmatic montages that tell beautiful stories through visual imagery.
It’s absolutely a personal film, and the film offers little answers to life’s greatest questions at the end, and for many, the intimacy could be seen as plain or even dull. However, it’s these qualities that make A Ghost Story a special film; it’s a look at a greater understanding of the essence of time, told through a specific vessel of one family’s story. With stunning long shots and an absolutely gorgeous score, A Ghost Story is a beautifully simple story that’s both thought provoking and personally enthralling. Grade: B+
