Set almost entirely within the walls of one house, A Ghost Waits tells the lonely story of building maintenance man, Jack (MacLeod Andrews). After being sent to a nightmare property by his boss Neil, Jack discovers that the reason for the constant tenant turnover is down to the fact that the house is haunted. Haunting the building is Muriel (Natalie Walker), a haunter at the top of her game. Her flawless record hits a snag with Jack however, and though initially at odds with one another, they soon begin to bond on a very personal level.
As a film about a relationship, A Ghost Waits doesn’t necessarily have much in the way of a traditional plot. Writer and director Adam Stovall decides to scrap the expected rigid three-act structure and instead tells a narrative through a thorough study into the world of isolation. Isolation is something we can all heavily relate to at the moment, but for many these feelings have been around for years, and Stovall articulates them perfectly. The most troubling aspect of Jack’s loneliness is that he seems like a genuinely nice guy. He’s not the archetypal weirdo loner a la Joker, but rather is an effervescent character full of life and conversation. His plight has seemingly come via his friends having just outgrown him. It’s a sad and sorry fate, and one that all too many of us are familiar with.
Tackling the role of Jack is actor MacLeod Andrews. Andrews has been a staple on the indie circuit for a number of years, starring in and producing They Look Like People and The Siren, as well as appearing briefly in Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep. A lot of his back catalogue has seen him lean into either the unsane, unstable, or a mixture of the two. In A Ghost Waits, Stovall gifts him the chance to play against what has become his type, and in doing so hopefully opens up a bright new direction for the actor. He plays Jack to absolute perfection and imbues him with a self-deprecating sense of humour, and an outlook on the world that makes him simply and utterly adorable. There’s a magic moment involving a toilet that will melt your heart. Andrews plays the character at just the right balance of charmingly sweet nerd, and offbeat kook.
In contrast to Jack’s easy-breezy approach to life, Muriel is – pardon the pun – much stiffer. The epitome of a career woman, Muriel has been grafting for so long that she literally can’t remember how many years that she has been protecting the home from humans. Walker does brilliant work as the uptight spook and is again a character that taps into a vein that will resonate with many that will watch. When put together, the two characters find elements in the other that are lacking in themselves, and a sweet friendship – and maybe more – blossoms. The easy back and forth between Walker and Andrews is a delight to watch unfold, the chemistry of their characters sizzling and lighting up the monochromatic visuals.
Initially shot in colour and then changed to black and white in post, A Ghost Waits has the look and feel of a bygone classic, coupled with a very modern tone. By morphing the picture into black and white, Stovall allows the viewer’s attention to focus on our odd pair, stripping everything back so that their dynamic is front and centre. It also, from a financial perspective, helps to cover up the modest budget.
With so much of the film spent with Jack all alone, Stovall fills the silence with an abundance of catchy songs. The onus is on indie folksy numbers with The Bengsons ‘Years Go By’ and Wussy’s ‘Yellow Cotton Dress’ certain to become the latest earworms to get trapped in your head. Our music plays an integral part, the upbeat, almost jovial, music reflects Jack’s outward happy-go-lucky personality and injects further life into the story. Overall, the choice and use of the songs stirs the same emotions as those classic nineties independent relationship movies like Reality Bites.
Don’t be fooled into thinking A Ghost Waits is too twee and cutesy though, underneath its sweet frostings lies some serious topics. Stovall does such a good job fooling us that when, and how, the shoe drops, punches the emotions like a dagger through the heart.
A Ghost Waits is premiering exclusively on ARROW in the UK, US and Canada via www.ARROW-Player.com
A Ghost Waits
Summary
A film dedicated to “those who make us feel less alone,” A Ghost Waits is simultaneously uplifting and heartbreaking.
