Winner: Best Supporting Actress - Whoopi Goldberg
Best Original Screenplay
63rd Academy Award (1991)

👻 "Ghost scares man" is a tired old trope. Turn it around, and you've got "Man scares ghost," a whole nother story, and that's what we've got here, a neat supernatural comedy with a moral lesson on top of it. The script is a neat trick, and tastefully directed. Patrick Swayze is a ghost here on this mundane plane, whose voice only is heard, by bogus medium (aren't they all) Whoopi Goldberg, who picked up an Oscar. She helps him get the hang of being a ghost, and he figures out how to track down his murderer. Oh, the picture got an Oscar too. Loads of fun!
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You have to get a laugh out of the guy below who says Swayze should have gone to "a reputable psychic." Reputable psychics are like ghosts, they're only found in movies.

We have watched this movie at least 6 times before. While I am not a huge fan of Demi Moore, feel that Patrick Swayze often gave very shallow character portrayals, this movie worked. Performances of several minor roles are truly superb. The sound track is awesome! Even as old as this movie is, this movie should be ranked as an all time great flick. I am checking it out of the library today as I want to watch the evil murderers get swallowed up into hell!

After reading all the comments, I can say the movie is viewed from different perspectives. I just needed a laugh, and since I love romance and love stories, I think both were complementary in this film.

I love Patrick, Whoopi, and Demi; they are all classically great actors. I find myself renting old movie's because old Hollywood is better.

If I had reviewed this film back in the early 90's, I probably would have given it four stars; maybe even five. I was so mesmerized by this love story, that I never saw the violence or the ridiculousness of it. Patrick Swayze is very good here and Whoopie Goldberg is very funny as the psychic that he appears to. However there are very disturbing moments that really aren't necessary in this "romantic" film. I should probably add that one scene in particular is very graphic and makes me cringe just thinking about it.

This is indeed a very classic romantic movie! The music is really touching, and the story is great!

I guess I must be a totally heartless S.O.B. - 'Cause Ghost's story pretty much left me as cold and as emotionally empty as a cadaver.

To say that my initial interest in this film's potentially promising story wore out at warp-speed would truly be an understatement like no other.

IMO - If Sam's ghostly spirit had actually sought out the help from a reputable psychic (rather than that despicable fraud, Oda Mae Brown) - Then - Yes. I could have accepted this film's ludicrous story-line and not been so critical about all of this ghostly nonsense.

Directed by Jerry Zucker in 1990, this American romantic fantasy depicts an unbelievable romance of a young woman and the ghost of her murdered lover.
With a willing suspension of disbelief, this romance appears amusing, touching and heartwarming.

It's actually pretty good, especially considering how corny the premise is.

All the performances are very sincere, especially Demi Moore's, so you can actually suspend disbelief and accept the concept of what you are watching. Much better than what I expected.

As old as this movie is the special effects around ghosts and the afterlife actually hold up pretty decently. They are subtle and low key enough that they don't detract from the experience.

Whoopi Goldberg plays a comic relief character but the comedy is never overdone. I could actually see watching it again sometime, much to my surprise. It's a nice comfortable movie to enjoy.

A great supernatural drama from the 80s! Great performances from all...and of course the film that made the Righteous Brothers famous again!