Ghost Team (2016) | Film Review

If you’re like me, you’ve probably been looking forward to seeing just how good or bad the new Ghostbusters movie turned out to be. And while you can read our review of that film (or listen to our spoiler cast), you now have at least one alternative when it comes to current movies with a comedic theme centered on the undead. Director Oliver Irving’s “Ghost Team” may not have the budget of the previously mentioned summer blockbuster, but still succeeds in offering some quirky characters with some genuinely funny one-liners. It has fewer hits than misses and lacks a certain punch of a traditional comedy, but it’s still worth checking out, if for no other reason to see some familiar actors in roles that seem to put them a bit out of their element.

Louis (Jon Heder) is a sad, lonely man who works at a copy shop during the day, but is obsessed with the paranormal by night. His greatest desire is to be selected as a host on his favorite television show, “Ghostgetters”, which places a team inside haunted houses for the purpose of recording evidence towards the existence of ghosts. Since it seems like his dream may never pan out, he decides to venture out on his own to prove that he has what it takes. He organizes his own team comprised of his best friend, his nephew, a medium, and a power hungry rent-a-cop to investigate the home of one of his customers, who claims that there are strange noises coming from the house. What starts out as a bunch of nerds we feel will inevitably be disappointed by their findings, turns into a mystery that makes Louis and his friends start to believe that they might actually be on to something much bigger than they imagined.

Look, this isn’t highbrow humor by any means; in fact, it’s very silly watching grown men act like teenagers camping in the woods ghost hunting. But there’s a certain charm behind this motley crew of man-children that honestly made me smile several times. It brings back memories of spending summers with my friends as a kid hoping that the world was far more interesting than it actually appeared. While I appreciate the direction that the story took towards the end, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t watch the closing credits wishing for a little more. Something to really make me feel satisfied instead of that nagging feeling that something was missing.

My favorite aspect of watching this film was seeing four actors I’ve know for a long time work together on something that, despite it’s ludicrous tone, feels almost like a passion project. Jon Heder – best-known for his work as Napoleon Dynamite – completely works as this highly optimistic, yet dejected man in touch with his inner child. It’s also highly amusing hearing him swear, considering his previous personal reasons for not participating in any vulgarity. David Krumholtz as Stan is also fun to watch, particularly with his conspiracy theory regarding his fiancé leaving him at the alter on their wedding day. The funniest character, however, is Justin Long as Ross, the over-eager security guard who takes his position on the Ghost Team a bit more seriously than anyone. The rest of the team also takes some fun jabs at him that make for the film’s most entertaining moments. Even Amy Sedaris, who plays the medium Victoria, is genuinely hilarious. She seems to be channeling her inner Johnny Depp with some crazy facial expressions that I’ve missed since her days on “Strangers with Candy”.

“Ghost Team” may not be a film that I’ll be talking about in years to come, but it brings some much-needed levity from a cast that really appeared to be having a lot of fun making it. In my book, that means something and makes this work as a rental or a cable viewing. Just don’t go into it expecting high art or satisfaction by the end. This is definitely one that is all about the journey, not the destination.