Sometimes the best kinds of closure can come from the most unexpected of places. Nowhere can that be more apparent than on stage, in the theatre. There have been plays about a variety of subjects, from the crude to the cute, over hundreds of hundreds of years, and they can all affect us in differing ways. That’s the healing power of the theatre, after all. “Ghostlight” is a film that seeks to not only embrace that idea, but to zero in on why and how that can come to pass for even the most curmudgeonly of subjects.
The film follows Dan Mueller, played by Keith Kupferer (“Our Father,” “Monuments”), a father struggling with his rebelling teenaged daughter Daisy, played by Katherine Mallen Kupferer (“Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret.”), an incoming wrongful death lawsuit, and a fading relationship with his wife Sharon, played by Tara Mallen. After an incident at work puts him in the view of Rita, played by Dolly de Leon (“Triangle of Sadness,” “Between the Temples”), she asks Dan to join her amateur theatre group in a production of “Romeo and Juliet,” despite his lack of acting experience. The rehearsals and play prove to be an effective emotional outlet for Dan, even as the play begins to reflect his own real-life experiences.
Co-directed by Kelly O'Sullivan (“Saint Frances,” “Sirens”) and Alex Thompson (“Saint Frances,” “Our Father”) and written by O’Sullivan, “Ghostlight” keeps things almost exceptionally low-key and simple to the point of feeling like you’re listening to a story told by a neighbor or family member. This is absolutely to the film’s benefit, as it works in communicating the emotions of the tale in a raw and digestible way. Kupferer’s performance feels deeply authentic, like he himself just stumbled on to the set of the film one day, and it’s one that remains powerful and incredibly emotional the entire way through.
Both Mallen and Katherine are just as excellent, with Katherine specifically lighting up the screen and stealing every scene she’s in. She delivers a spitfire of a performance that will surely be a highlight of the film for many, while Mallen’s role goes for a more subdued, but still nuanced and evolving motherly role. It also works on another level given that Keith and Sharon are married in real life, and Katherine is Keith’s actual daughter. de Leon’s performance has less of an evolution compared to the main trio, and while she’s still fantastic, it is clear that her role isn’t the one O’Sullivan and Thompson are most intrigued by.
This is a very small film by its nature, with only a handful of locations at play and a budget than amounts to less than a million dollars. Yet this seems to be where O’Sullivan and Thompson are most comfortable, because within those cheaper constraints is an exceptionally deep film. This is a picture that doesn’t purport to have all the answers or even know all of the right questions to ask. Instead, it prides itself on dragging the roller coaster of feelings out and dealing with each in turn. It might be Dan’s story at its core, but Sharon and Daisy get plenty of room to grow and shine. A scene halfway through the film has Dan reciting lines to Sharon, and it's a fantastic example of O’Sullivan and Thompson’s abilities to make sure both characters have their moments of personality, growth, and impact, even if one gets more screentime than the other.
“Ghostlight” is a quaint little indie film that’s big on charm, performances, and emotion. It’s the kind of film that is easy to invest in and provides an almost cathartic kind of emotional release by the time it's over. The central three performances are really excellent, with Katherine Mallen Kupferer stealing the show, and a controlled and nuanced direction from Kelly O'Sullivan and Alex Thompson. It all goes back to that idea of catharsis, and the film’s ability to navigate that feeling without ever becoming overbearing is an achievement that shines brighter than the titular light ever could. 5/5
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