A Useful Ghost
The brief
Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke turns a genuinely absurd premise into something surprisingly touching, balancing supernatural slapstick with real grief about illness and loss. Davika Hoorne brings unexpected emotional weight to a performance that's half ghost story, half domestic appliance comedy, while the film never lets you forget the very real fear driving its central metaphor. At over two hours it occasionally drags between the bigger comedic set pieces, but the tonal juggling act mostly works without trivializing either the laughs or the heartbreak. Perfect for anyone who loved the weird sincerity of Swiss Army Man or wants their supernatural comedies with actual stakes.
The verdict
If you're drawn to oddball comedies that blend genuine emotion with supernatural weirdness (think Swiss Army Man or The Lobster), this is a surprisingly moving gem that earns both its laughs and tears. If you need your comedies brisk and straightforward, the 130-minute runtime and tonal shifts between grief and ghost-powered slapstick will likely test your patience.
Watch with
- 👥 Friends who appreciate weird comedy
- 👫 Couples dealing with health concerns
- ⚠️ Avoid if you've lost someone to illness recently
Heads up
- Death from respiratory disease (moderate)
- Medical symptoms and illness (moderate)
- Grief and loss themes (moderate)
Credits
- Director
- Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke
- Cast
- Davika Hoorne, Witsarut Himmarat, Apasiri Nitibhon, Wanlop Rungkumjad, Wisarut Homhuan, Gandhi Wasuvitchayagit, Ornanong Thaisriwong
Official synopsis
After dying from a respiratory disease, a mother's spirit possesses a vacuum cleaner to protect her husband
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with Perfect Blue (1998)
Both explore spirits crossing boundaries to protect loved ones from danger.
Total runtime: 2h 10m + 1h 22m = 3h 32m
