|  Produced by: |  Parallel Films Productions
|  Certification:
|  USA:PG
|  Cast
|  
|  Christina Ricci
|  Erin
|  Catherine O'Hara
|  Cathleen
|  Jared Leto
|  Frankie Griffin
|  Gabriel Byrne
|  Jack Griffin
|  Stephan Rea
|  Cab driver
|  Colm Meaney
|  Jim Davern
|  Lorraine Pilkington
|  Jayne Wayne
|  Jason Barry
|  Nelson Fitzgerald
|  Emily Mortimer
|  Romy Thomas
|  Karl Hayden
|  Hoppy Delaney
|  Ciaran Fitzgerald
|  Noeli Griffin
|  Darren Monks
|  David Dudley
|  Credits
|  
|  Director
|  David Keating
|  Producers
|  Keith Northrop,
|   |  John Woltenholme,
|   |  Gabriel Byrne
|  Editor
|  Ray Lovejoy
|  Disign
|  Frank Conway
|  Music
|  Michael Convertino
|  Special Effects
|  Kevin Hannigan
|  Written by:
|  Gabriel Byrne,
|   |  David Keating
|   |  
|  Summary:
| Dr. Harvey (Bill Pullman), a roving psychologist to the "living impaired," and his teenage daughter, Kat (Christina Ricci), |   |
are brought to Maine by Carrigan Crittenden
(Cathy Moriarty), the owner of the very large and very haunted
Whipstaff Manor. Their assignment is to rid the house of its troublesome
ghosts so that Carrigan can collect the treasure said to be hidden on the
premises. The story then branches out in several directions, including
Casper's crush on Kat, Kat's insecurity around her new classmates, Dr.
Harvey's netherworldly search for his dead wife, and everyone's
evolving relationships with the three obnoxious problem spooks. |
The acting in the lead roles is consistently good, and Ricci is flat-out
excellent as the cheeky but lovable teenager. Alternately projecting
disdain and affection for her bumbling, ghost-shrink father, she is the
very picture of adolescent hip: when the doctor is surprised to hear that
she has seen a ghost in their new home, she haughtily comes back with,
"Dad, please. Do not think I'm as crazy as I thought you were." The key
to the film's success is the remarkable ability of the computer-animated
spooks (who have more than forty minutes of screen time) to match
Ricci's dramatic presence. Once we embrace the interaction of girl and
phantoms, the film's slapstick moments are quite enjoyable. And then
there's the added bonus of Dan Aykroyd, Clint Eastwood, Rodney
Dangerfield, and Mel Gibson in outrageous cameo appearances.
|