A Ghost Story (2017)
Kernel Score: 79% · 2,460 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance
Released: 2017-04-24
Runtime: 93 minutes
Is A Ghost Story worth watching?
Depends on your taste. A ghost in a bedsheet watches time pass in his old home. It's slow, quiet and deliberately minimal, and some find it moving while others find it dull. It's best seen as a mood and an idea.
Watch it if you
- like slow, meditative art films
- enjoy films about time and grief
- are happy to be patient
Skip it if you
- want plot or dialogue
- get bored by long, still shots
Best for: Quiet solo night
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch A Ghost Story
- Free with ads: YouTube Free, Plex
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
Recently deceased, a white-sheeted ghost returns to his suburban home to console his bereft wife, only to find that in his spectral state he has become unstuck in time, forced to watch passively as the life he knew and the woman he loves slowly slip away.
A Ghost Story parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that A Ghost Story is a slow, artistic drama about grief and loss told from a ghost's perspective, with minimal content concerns but heavy emotional themes.
- Violence & scariness: None — No violence; focuses on quiet grief and loss.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like A Ghost Story
If you liked A Ghost Story, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Petite Maman (2021) — 77%: Quiet, gentle fantasy about grief and time.
- Manchester by the Sea (2016) — 84%: Hushed drama about grief, shown with restraint.
- Three Colors: Red (1994) — 88%: Quiet, mysterious drama about connection and fate.
- What Dreams May Come (1998) — 81%: Afterlife story about love and loss.
- The Lovely Bones (2009) — 81%: Story of the dead watching over those left behind.
- Somewhere in Time (1980) — 87%: Romantic fantasy about love that crosses time.
Director
David Lowery
Cast
- Casey Affleck as C
- Rooney Mara as M
- McColm Cephas Jr. as Little Boy
- Kenneisha Thompson as Doctor
- Grover Coulson as Man in Wheelchair
- Liz Cardenas as Linda
- Barlow Jacobs as Gentleman Caller
- Richard Krause as Mover
- Dagger Salazar as Mover
- Sonia Acevedo as Maria
A Ghost Story FAQ
Is A Ghost Story worth watching?
Depends on your taste. A ghost in a bedsheet watches time pass in his old home. It's slow, quiet and deliberately minimal, and some find it moving while others find it dull. It's best seen as a mood and an idea.
Where can I watch A Ghost Story?
In the US you can watch it free with ads on YouTube Free and Plex and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is A Ghost Story OK for kids?
A Ghost Story is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that A Ghost Story is a slow, artistic drama about grief and loss told from a ghost's perspective, with minimal content concerns but heavy emotional themes.
What movies are like A Ghost Story?
If you liked A Ghost Story, try Petite Maman, Manchester by the Sea, Three Colors: Red and What Dreams May Come.