Chasing Ghosts
DIRECTED BY: Josh Shreve, WRITTEN BY: Josh Chesler, GENRE: Family Drama, RUN TIME: 93 Mins, RELEASE: April 21st, 2015
SYNOPSIS: Lucas Simons (Toby Nichols), an 11-year-old film maker, is obsessed with death after the loss of his brother Jake. When Lucas accidentally captures a mysterious presence in one of his films, he inadvertently becomes a YouTube phenomenon, and must learn to live life in the spotlight while also learning how to once again start living life to its fullest.
With our cinema's a small screens filled with superhero films, action extravaganzas and new-breed horrors, it's refreshing for me as a viewer to come across something with a lot more heart and substance. At its very core, Chasing Ghosts is a film that tackles the subject of death. However, it does so in a way that isn't at all preaching nor dark and dreary in its content, but with humility and a delicate element of humour to aid in it's story-telling.
Lucas is a lost young man, who's struggle to cope with the loss of his brother acts as the catalyst to his obsession for the need to understand the very concept of death and grief. Whilst secretly filming a funeral, Lucas captures something strange on video that has him questioning whether there is life after death. Looking for answers, he posts the video up on YouTube, which quickly becomes and internet phenomenon and thrusts him into the limelight, bringing him much unwanted attention and having adverse repercussions on not just himself, but the surrounding people too. Along the way he meets Chris (Tim Meadows), a local author that has experienced death first hand, and the two strike up an unlikely friendship.
Chasing Ghosts is a journey of discovery. It is about the coping and understanding of the terrible loss of a brother and a son, and how that search can not only affect the family directly, but also those close to them. The film is beautifully shot and the thoughts, feelings and insight into Lucas' mind and emotions are depicted brilliantly through such simplicities as the contents and décor of his bedroom, the ringtone of his phone and the music that he listens to. It's a great way of capturing the Lucas' heartache and bridging the gap between the character and the audience.
Although Chasing Ghosts is essentially a dramatic piece, there are many moments of light comedy to keep the film from ever descending into the pits of depression. These mostly come from the young talent in the film, namely that of Nichols' Lucas' interaction with his friend and 'romantic' interest Kimberly, played by the ever adorable and always marvellous Meyrick Murphy, whose on-screen presence is a constant pleasure to watch. She always takes on her roles with amazing natural talent and passion that makes her every performance believable and captivating. There are also many great comedic moments from Nichols in his character's constant attempt at sabotaging his own interviews, much to dismay of his (somewhat overbearing and excitable) parents, and to the amusement of Chris.
The casting is fantastic, and Toby Nichols puts in a fine and enjoyable performance in the lead role. The lead in any film is always one of the most important casting choices, it can sometimes make or break the viewing pleasure for an audience, and that pressure can certainly weigh heavier on young actors. A referencing scale of opposites, Noah Wiseman's performance in the outstanding The Babadook only served as a distraction to an otherwise great film, whilst Nichol's performance undoubtedly added nothing but positivity to it's overall enjoyment. His deliverance of the character is sincere, honest and utterly delightful. Tim Meadows gives a typically fine performance as Chris and it's nice to see him in a (for the most part) straight role. Nichols and Meadows work really well together and you can feel their genuine off-screen chemistry filter wonderfully down into the relationship between their characters (which takes on several dynamics). There are also some sterling performances from both Robyn Lively and W. Earl Brown as Lucas' Lydia and Roger.
Overall, Chasing Ghosts is a wonderfully touching and light-hearted family drama, that approaches the very real subject of death with absolute charm and sentimentality. It is also a film about family, friendship, bonds, struggles and acceptance, to which it addresses all perfectly. There is also a great message that speaks for everyone and sums up the theme of the film, but you’re just going to have to watch it for yourselves to find out what that is.