PARK CITY – Sometimes, the star of the movie isn’t the cast or the director. It’s not the cinematography or the score. Sometimes, you watch a film and realize you’re experiencing the unfurling of a pretty fantastic screenplay. That’s the case with “Ghostlight,” which debuted at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival today and was written by uber-talented screenwriter Kelly O’Sullivan.
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Co-directed by O’Sullivan and her “Saint Frances” collaborator Alex Thompson, “Ghostlight” shines a spotlight on Dan (Keith Kupferer), a blue-collar construction worker who can barely focus on his job. Whatever is on his mind is confounded by his teenage daughter Daisey’s dramatic outbursts in school that find her on the verge of expulsion (Daisy is played by Kupferer’s own daughter Katherine Mallen Kupferer). At home, his wife Sharon (Tara Mullen) can’t even interest him in any extracurricular activities (if you know what we mean) and is struggling to get him to prepare for an important upcoming legal deposition. Dan is simply adrift and clearly bottling up a shipping container of emotions. When a driver complains about the work site on the city street he’s working on; he explodes with unexpected rage. His daughter may be overly emotional, but it’s easy to see where she gets it from.
That incident, however, is witnessed by the fearless Rita (Dolly De Leon), who sees promise in Dan. Not boxing or UFC promise, mind you, but theatrical talent. Not a character you can say no to, Rita somehow convinces Dan to visit an early rehearsal for a community theater production she’s involved in. Before he knows it, the fiftysomethings suburban dad has landed his first acting role opposite Rita in a low-rent production of “Romeo and Juliet.” What Rita or none of the other colorful characters in the cast know is that William Shakespeare’s classic story hits much closer to home for Dan than you’d ever believe.
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As the pieces of “Ghostlight” continue to unfold, it becomes increasingly clear what a smart and moving narrative O’Sullivan has put together. We won’t spoil it here, but the tragedy that occurred in Dan’s family is weighing on their shoulders like a crate of bricks. This play is not only a chance for Dan to come to peace with his past but for the super-talented Daisy, who gets sucked into the show, too.
“Ghostlight” truly works because of the mostly Chicago-area ensemble. Kupferer is quite good as a man struggling to move forward, and Mallen Kupferer (who had a small role in “Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret”) demonstrates remarkable talent and charisma for a 15-year-old (she almost steals the movie). Mullen is very, very good, and the always excellent De Leon was super-inspired casting. The other members of the acting troupe, including Tommy Rivera-Vega, Alma Washington, and Dexter ZolliIcoffer, all have their moments to shine (mostly comedic ones).
Granted, O’Sullivan and Thompson’s direction doesn’t always live up to the performances and the story (the aesthetics could use a boost), and there is one quizzical story choice, but the pair know when to let a movie breathe and aren’t afraid to embrace humor when it’s needed. In “Ghostlight,” they have crafted a little indie gem that comes together almost perfectly. Emphasis on “almost.” [B+]
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