We Have a Ghost

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.

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]

Plot

The Presleys purchase a cheap and abandoned house. Kevin, the youngest, records a video of a ghost in the attic. The ghost is 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, while his father Frank publishes the video of Ernest on YouTube to become famous.

At high school Kevin meets his neighbor Joy. They discover a photo of Ernest posing with an Ernest S., the previous house owner. (Ghost) Ernest has flashbacks of his daughter.

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

Randy has a flashback of being killed by Ernest S., and Dr. Monroe frees Randy. Meanwhile, Ernest S. arrives at the house to kill Kevin, believing Kevin is avenging Randy's murder. Ernest S. reveals that his wife was infertile and they murdered Randy to take June for their own. Ernest S. chases Kevin to the attic, where Frank tackles Ernest S. out the window. Kevin and Frank reunite Randy with June, and Randy moves on to the afterlife after a heartwarming goodbye with Kevin.

The Presleys move to a different house, and Kevin and Joy are now a couple. As Kevin leaves the house, a light flickers in the attic.

Cast

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

Production

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

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]

References
  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.
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