--- title: "Ghost" year: 1990 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/ghost" fi1m_id: "ghost" imdb_id: "tt0099653" tmdb_id: 251 wikidata_id: "Q49003" fi1m_score: 80 critics_score: 71 critics_reviews: 14 published: "2026-09-13" updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:14.395305+00:00" region: "PL" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Ghost (1990) Directed by Jerry Zucker · 2h 07m · PISF 12 · Fantasy, Romance, Thriller ## Identity Ghost - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/ghost - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** ghost - **IMDb ID:** tt0099653 - **TMDB ID:** 251 - **Wikidata ID:** Q49003 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099653/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/251, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q49003 **Fi1m score: 80** · Critics 71 from 14 reviews *In a sentence:* Whoopi Goldberg deserves a quiet afternoon after all that business with the dead > Jerry Zucker’s supernatural romance earns its tears, largely because Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore make the loss feel personal. Whoopi Goldberg keeps it funny, though a plot that repeatedly demands fresh disbelief tries our patience. ## Synopsis Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) and Molly Jensen (Demi Moore) are lovers whose life together is interrupted when Sam is murdered. Sam realises he is dead, but his concern for Molly keeps him involved with the life he has left behind. Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), a medium more accustomed to pretending, becomes his chance of making contact. Convincing Molly means asking her to accept something she has no reason to think possible. Jerry Zucker directs a story of bereavement, danger and attempted communication, with Tony Goldwyn as Carl Bruner and Vincent Schiavelli as the Subway Ghost. ## Review *Ghost* is a moving, funny romance with a thriller plot that needs more indulgence than it deserves. Director Jerry Zucker and writer Bruce Joel Rubin take a wish that needs little explanation – another chance with someone we have lost – and add the difficulty of making contact with the living. Sam Wheat is murdered, leaving Molly Jensen to grieve and Sam struggling to reach her. The supernatural business works because the longing is easy to understand. Patrick Swayze gives Sam an earnestness that could become tiresome without Demi Moore’s more immediate pain. Moore makes Molly’s grief feel like something happening to a person, rather than a cue for the audience to start crying. We were moved by her tears after Sam’s death, more than we expected to be. Swayze’s directness helps too: he does not seem embarrassed by how much Sam loves her, and that makes it easier to care about what she has lost. The pottery scene gives that loss something physical to refer back to: two people enjoying being close. Adam Greenberg’s photography works here because the contact between the lovers holds our attention without needing much explanation. Jane Musky’s production design is less persuasive when their surroundings look too carefully prettified. The clay is a welcome bit of mess. The scene establishes an ease between Swayze and Moore that the film can rely on once they are separated. Whoopi Goldberg’s Oda Mae Brown makes the mixture of romance, scares and comedy work. A fraudulent medium faced with an inconveniently real dead man is a sound joke, and Goldberg gives the reluctance enough force to keep Sam from becoming solemn company. Her irritation is funny because she treats his supernatural predicament as a considerable nuisance to herself. Zucker lets her make a fuss without making the lovers’ feelings ridiculous, and her scenes supply the impatience the rest of the film sometimes lacks. Rubin’s script is less convincing when it needs Molly to remain unconvinced. Her difficulty accepting Sam’s attempts at contact makes sense at first, but repeated disbelief begins to feel like a means of extending the running time. At 127 minutes, the film has room to test our patience as well as hers. The thriller needs those delays more than the romance does, and Zucker does not always disguise the effort involved. Editor Walter Murch does much to keep the changes of tone moving, allowing the comedy to relieve the sadness without making either seem like an interruption. His pacing is more assured than the plotting. Maurice Jarre’s music can be insistent about the feelings we are supposed to have, especially when the actors have already made them clear. We accept that this is openly sentimental filmmaking, but some scenes would benefit from less musical encouragement to feel sad. Against the usual demands of a supernatural romance, *Ghost* gets the difficult thing right: we care about the couple before we start worrying about the rules. The afterlife explanations are less satisfying than the human reactions to them. Swayze, Moore and Goldberg make an unlikely combination, but all three take the same improbable situation seriously enough to hold it together. Give it an evening if a love story is what we are choosing, with a little patience reserved for the unnecessary delays. *Fi1m score 80, published 13 September 2026.* ## What the critics say With only 3 reviews in so far, the consensus is positive: critics find Ghost’s romance affecting and its humour useful in keeping sentimentality in check. Praise centres on Whoopi Goldberg, whose comic energy balances the romantic yearning, while Jerry Zucker earns credit for handling both. Reservations concern credibility and polish. RogerEbert.com objects to the heroine’s repeated disbelief despite clear evidence, while the Los Angeles Times finds the scripting woolly, the production too prettified and Swayze unconvincing as a banker. These objections temper rather than overturn the three reviews’ enthusiasm. ## Straight answers **Is Ghost worth watching?** *Ghost* is worth watching for anyone in the mood for a love story that earns its tears, and we scored it 80. Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg make an improbable situation feel personal and often funny. The thriller plot leans on Molly's repeated disbelief to stretch 127 minutes, so bring some patience for the delays. **How long is Ghost, and what is it rated?** *Ghost* runs 2h 07m and is rated 12 by the PISF in Poland. It is a fantasy and romance film. **Where can I watch Ghost in Poland?** *Ghost* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from zł 9.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How does Ghost compare to A Matter of Life and Death?** *Ghost* and [*A Matter of Life and Death*](https://film.one/film/a-matter-of-life-and-death) are both romances in which the afterlife has to bend to a stubborn human attachment, but the Powell and Pressburger film is the finer piece of work, funnier and easier to recommend to almost anyone. *Ghost* is warmer and more openly sentimental, and its thriller plot creaks; choose it for Swayze and Moore, the older film for wit and colour. **What should I watch after Ghost?** After *Ghost*, try [*A Matter of Life and Death*](https://film.one/film/a-matter-of-life-and-death) (1946, Fi1m 92): Another romance that makes the afterlife answer to an inconvenient human attachment. Then [*Truly Madly Deeply*](https://film.one/film/truly-madly-deeply) (1990, Fi1m 80): For grief, jokes and the awkward business of loving someone absent; and [*The Ghost and Mrs. Muir*](https://film.one/film/the-ghost-and-mrs-muir) (1947, Fi1m 84): A widow and a troublesome ghost find time for conversation and affection. ### Reviews we read (14) - **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★★★★): This 30th-anniversary re-release review calls the film an irresistible supernatural tearjerker with a fabulously precise script that shifts between murder, betrayal and grief. It singles out Whoopi Goldberg’s Oscar-winning turn as the genius antidote to the syrup. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/ghost-1990-re-release-of-this-irresistible-supernatural-tearjerker-vl7gl20kc) - **Sight and Sound**, Tom Milne (90/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's fresh approach to the afterlife and its artful script, calling it an auspicious solo debut for director Jerry Zucker. Whoopi Goldberg's performance is highlighted as adding emotional depth, humor, and balance to the romance. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/ghost-review-jerry-zucker-spins-gold-from-everlasting-romance-from-our-archive) - **Time Out**, DW (90/100, inferred): The review credits an excellent script by Bruce Joel Rubin and Jerry Zucker's surprisingly sure direction for turning the story into one of the most enjoyable movies of the year. Whoopi Goldberg is praised for hamming it up gloriously. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ghost) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (3.5/4): The film mixes horror and humor effectively in scenes with Whoopi Goldberg and her sisters, and features a strong sequence where Swayze possesses Goldberg's body to embrace Moore. It contains nice ideas but relies on an idiot plot where the heroine repeatedly disbelieves clear evidence. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/ghost-1990) - **Empire**, Phil Thomas (80/100, inferred): The critic notes Ghost's massive UK box office success over Pretty Woman and credits its irresistible appeal to Zucker's deft comic touch avoiding sentimentality, Whoopi Goldberg's standout performance as Oda Mae Brown, and Demi Moore's emotive scenes. It is called one of the finest and weepiest love stories that touches even the hardest heart. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/ghost-review/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (80/100, inferred): This re-release review calls Ghost a comfort-food weepie classic and lethally effective tragicomic fantasy with unselfconscious potency. The critic singles out Zucker’s direction for playing the story straight while delivering necessary comedy, and praises Whoopi Goldberg’s superb turn as the scam medium. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/feb/14/ghost-review-patrick-swayze) - **The Telegraph** (75/100, inferred): The piece argues Ghost gets you as an unapologetic tear-jerker despite its hokey elements. It singles out Whoopi Goldberg’s performance as the heaven-sent comic relief that makes the silliness embraceable for a huge audience. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/ghost-good-whoopi-goldberg-simple/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Sheila Benson (70/100, inferred): Zucker effectively packages the essence of romantic yearning, particularly in the sensual clay-pottery scene, and Goldberg provides needed vinegar and energy as the reluctant medium. The film has implausible casting for Swayze as a banker, woolly scripting, and overly prettified production values. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-07-13-ca-34-story.html) - **Radio Times**, Tom Hutchinson (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the blend of sentimental and supernatural elements touching, with special effects a real treat and a wonderfully schmaltzy ending. Whoopi Goldberg provides comic moments that lighten the potentially maudlin atmosphere. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-96v5ea/ghost/) - **The New York Times**, Caryn James (70/100, inferred): The piece presents 'Ghost' as an effective case study in flattering audiences into belief through its mix of romance, comedy and suspense. It singles out Whoopi Goldberg's performance as the charlatan medium who becomes a true believer for special praise. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/29/movies/film-view-ghosts-must-catch-the-spirit-of-the-time.html) - **Slant Magazine**, Clayton Dillard (50/100, inferred): The critic finds Ghost a manipulative crowd-pleaser with dim-witted afterlife explanations and racial stereotyping, yet praises its fluid narrative pacing and impeccable casting, especially Swayze and Moore. He highlights Zucker’s garish comedic sensibilities that blend pop forlorn with understated pathos and notes the film’s modest warning against class exploitation. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/summer-of-90-ghost/) - **The New Yorker**, Terrence Rafferty (30/100, inferred): The review calls 'Ghost' a shameless romantic fairy tale that pushes emotional buttons without wit or irony. It singles out the climactic scene of Molly dancing with Sam's spirit (via the psychic) as the prime example of its manipulative sentimentality. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1990/07/30/survivor-5) - **Variety**, Variety Staff (**): The film is an odd grab bag of styles that veers between arty somberness and wacky fun, delivering romantic fantasy elements for its target audience. It takes too long to introduce laughs via Goldberg and features mostly tearful work from Moore. [Read](https://variety.com/1989/film/reviews/ghost-2-1200428412/) - **Den of Geek**, Joe George (80/100, inferred): The critic praises Ghost for its sensual and immediate romance, contrasting it favorably with Spielberg's Always and highlighting the chemistry between Swayze and Moore plus the tactile pottery scene. Notes some flaws like length and effects but overall sees it as a classic that lingers with viewers. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-naked-gun-writer-outdid-steven-spielberg-drama/) ## Details - **Director:** Jerry Zucker - **Director:** Jerry Zucker - **Writer:** Bruce Joel Rubin - **Cinematography:** Adam Greenberg - **Editor:** Walter Murch - **Music:** Maurice Jarre - **Production design:** Jane Musky - **Costume design:** Ruth Morley - **Producer:** Lisa Weinstein, Howard W. Koch - **Cast:** Patrick Swayze as Sam Wheat; Demi Moore as Molly Jensen; Whoopi Goldberg as Oda Mae Brown; Tony Goldwyn as Carl Bruner; Vincent Schiavelli as Subway Ghost; Rick Aviles as Willie Lopez; Martina Deignan as Rose; Rick Kleber as Mover - **Runtime:** 2h 07m - **Certificate (PISF):** 12 - **Release (Poland):** 31 December 1990 - **Genres:** Fantasy, Romance, Thriller - **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 1990); [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Nominee, 1990) - **Budget:** $22 million - **Box office:** $505 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWvUTmvaOyU ## Where to watch in Poland - Amazon Prime Video: rent zł 9.99, uhd - Apple TV: rent zł 9.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy zł 19.90, uhd - Apple TV: buy zł 29.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-13.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 1991: Best Film Editing (nominated); Best Original Score (nominated); Best Picture (nominated); Best Supporting Actress (won); Best Writing, Original Screenplay (won) ## If you liked this - *A Matter of Life and Death* (1946), Fi1m 92: Another romance that makes the afterlife answer to an inconvenient human attachment. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-matter-of-life-and-death.md) - *Truly Madly Deeply* (1990), Fi1m 80: For grief, jokes and the awkward business of loving someone absent. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/truly-madly-deeply.md) - *The Ghost and Mrs. Muir* (1947), Fi1m 84: A widow and a troublesome ghost find time for conversation and affection. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-ghost-and-mrs-muir.md) - *After Life* (1998), Fi1m 85: A quieter afterlife fantasy, concerned with the memories people choose to keep. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/after-life.md) - *The Lunchbox* (2013), Fi1m 75: For another romance sustained by messages between people kept apart. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lunchbox.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/ghost