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Ghost
Movie

Ghost

1990 • Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Woke Score
1
out of 10

Plot

Sam Wheat is a banker, Molly Jensen is an artist, and the two are madly in love. However, when Sam is murdered by friend and corrupt business partner Carl Bruner over a shady business deal, he is left to roam the Earth as a powerless spirit. When he learns of Carl's betrayal, Sam must seek the help of psychic Oda Mae Brown to set things right and protect Molly from Carl and his goons.

Overall Series Review

Ghost is a supernatural romance-thriller centered on the timeless themes of eternal love, betrayal, and transcendent justice. The story follows a deceased man's desperate mission to protect his girlfriend from a corrupt former friend, a plot driven entirely by personal avarice and devotion, not systemic issues. The narrative is structurally classic, relying on clear-cut morality where good and evil are unambiguously rewarded or punished in the afterlife. The core romantic relationship between Sam and Molly is aspirational and traditional, emphasizing mutual love and Sam's protective masculinity. The inclusion of Oda Mae Brown, a Black female character, serves a critical, heroic function based on her unique, merit-based spiritual gift. The film does not attempt to deconstruct traditional structures or lecture on privilege; it validates human connection, justice, and a higher moral order.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics2/10

The main conflict is between two white males, the virtuous protagonist Sam and the corrupt villain Carl, over a financial crime, not race. The Black female character, Oda Mae Brown, is a pivotal co-protagonist who acts heroically on the merit of her unique spiritual ability, without the plot revolving around an intersectional hierarchy.

Oikophobia1/10

The film does not frame Western civilization, home, or ancestors as fundamentally corrupt or racist. The main characters embody an aspirational American lifestyle in New York, and the narrative's thrust is toward preserving love and upholding justice within society. Institutions and personal relationships are viewed as important and worth defending.

Feminism1/10

The core dynamic is based on traditional, complementary love, where the male lead's sole purpose as a ghost is to protect his female partner. The female lead, Molly, is an artist but her character arc is defined by her vulnerability and grief, not a 'Girl Boss' trope. There is no anti-natalist or emasculating messaging.

LGBTQ+1/10

The story centers exclusively on a passionate, monogamous, heterosexual love story and the desire to maintain that bond even after death. Sexual ideology is not a theme, and the romantic structure is strictly normative.

Anti-Theism1/10

The film strongly affirms a clear, objective moral universe and higher moral law. Evil characters are explicitly dragged to perdition by demons, and the hero ascends to a heavenly light, presenting a transcendent moral consequence for one's actions. The spiritual framework provides strength and justice.