The Ghost Club (2003)

User Rating:

3.5/10   

Director:

Ralph E. Portillo

Writer:

David Ciesielsky (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 July 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Family

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Brittany Robertson	...	Carrie
Clayton Griffin	...	Chris
Lindley Mayer	...	Natalie
Derek Thompson	...	Jesse
Michele Ashton	...	Karen Malone
Dottie Snow	...	Grandma Lenny
Perry Simpson	...	John Practer
Chase Carpenter	...	Calvin
Willis Crain	...	Gus
David Polinsky	...	Mr. Weeks
Alexandrea Hairston	...	Alex
Tyler Kreutzer	...	Ricky
Victor E. Werany	...	Agent Smith
Fred Carrico	...	Bank Manager
Sonya Coogan	...	Carolyn

MPAA:

Rated PG for some mild language.

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Chester, South Carolina, USA

Company:

Hemisphere Entertainment

Yes, v 1.00

On the surface this has lots of weak acting by the kids, a particular verbal style, and I like the review that suggests that being tolerant is worth it, that these are just kids after all.

These days there is a rather high standard in the quality of stories on film, but most of the best include flaws. Including deliberate flaws. The 'weak acting' is glaring, more than is often the case, but look the other way there is a story and, cringe of cringes, I wonder if the weak acting is actually a built in part of the story. To guess that I look to the final scene when ghost catcher is definitely wearing a bra. It seemed likely before but here the broad strap around her back stands out under her top. Also, the ham verbal style is gone.

To like this and notice more I needed to be able to shrug off the flaws. If the ham is deliberate I mostly prefer otherwise, but can sometimes accept it.

I assume that the very young might like this story and to them the flaws might not be blatant, more the way that stories for the very, very young sometimes are?

Those who are returning to childhood. Those who have been sunk to the level of ghost might find Ghost Club to be easy to work to like. If not seen too often.

Others, well it is called the Ghost Club, after all. This does not have the popularity rating of an animal's shrieking shack.

Further, what the story is, I am not so sure that is a relevant issue. What counts is other. There has been an adventure that entailed spy and inventor and younger brother and occasionally older brother joining ghost catcher to save her family, with the help of someone long dead. Ghost catcher grows in a rather nice and well rounded way and that is what counts.

*

From a different angle. If I take the story seriously it makes for an interesting comparison with My Girl (1991). That has Vada facing a disastrous rite of passage that leads to her wearing a symbolic bra. It has a much wider appeal than the Ghost Club will ever have. My Girl is not a story for the youngest, though.