Ghosts are everywhere in Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke’s Cannes comedy A USEFUL GHOST. They have to deal with bureaucracy, and face discrimination and the legal consequences of their actions. People make out with haunted vacuum cleaners and monks curse like sailors. Around the 75 minute mark we get what appears to be a conclusion to a lighthearted romantic comedy, but Boonbunchachoke has more in mind.
There is a shift in tone with a more political approach and the infusion of sci-fi elements in the second half. I had a few reservations about the internal logic of the script and the somewhat convoluted plot, but this is the work of a promising new talent that will be welcomed by many looking for something offbeat, aesthetically pleasing, and amusing.
