In the endearing family drama Ghostlight, we meet Dan (Keith Kupferer), a middle-aged hardhat who is at the end of his rope. Dan seems to be a gentle and profoundly decent guy, but he is stressed to the point that he’s ready to explode in rage, and he’s sinking out of his marriage to Sharon (Tara Mullen). Their precocious and spirited daughter Daisy is insolent even by teen standards and out of control.
Eventually, we learn that the family has suffered a loss. Sharon can’t grieve because it’s taking all of her energy to hold the family together with Dan refusing to acknowledge anyone’s feelings and Daisy’s behavior blowing up. Dan describes himself as Old School , which, in his case, means he doesn’t acknowledge anyone’s feelings, especially his own, he doesn’t believe in therapy or understand art. This is a family processing (or not processing) grief at the pace of its slowest, most recalcitrant member.
Dan has a chance meeting with Rita (Dolly De Leon, who stole Triangle of Sorrow), who inveigles him into a tiny community theater’s table reading of Romeo and Juliet. Dan, of course, is ill at ease among the touchy feely theater types. Dan has heard of Romeo and Juliet, but doesn’t know how it ends, yet it strikes a chord with him, and he comes back for more. Daisy, who can quote passages from the play, wisecracks, “Here’s a hint – it’s a tragedy“.
What happens next is that Dan takes the family on a journey that is funny, heartrending, and ultimately redemptive. There’s never a false moment.
The acting in Ghostlight is superbly authentic. The family members are played by an actual family. Teen actor Katherine Mallen Kupferer is the daughter of actor Keith Kupferer and theater director and actor Tara Mallen.
Here’s another real family aspect of Ghostlight – it’s the first feature from director and co-writer Kelly O’Sullivan, who just had a child with co-director Alex Thompson.
Ghostlight won the audience award at SXSW. This little movie is one of the best films of the year and a Must See.