A comedy, romance and supernatural thriller rolled into one, “Ghost” is a zippy pastiche that somehow manages to seem fresh even though it’s built entirely out of borrowed parts. Screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin is a clever magpie: he’s raided every genre to create this seductive, funny hybrid, but he’s done his job with a witty, light touch. “Ghost” becomes resistible only at the finish line, when the sappiness gets a bit out of control. Who ya gonna call, schmaltz busters?
Director Jerry Zucker, part of the ZAZ team who made “Airplane!” and “The Naked Gun,” navigates the preposterous plot twists and careening mood swings with speed and confidence (and strong support from editor Walter Murch). It’s not surprising that Zucker can make us laugh (thank God Whoopi finally has a part that lets her strut her best stuff) but who knew he’d be good at the sexy, poignant stuff? The hunky Swayze may not be everybody’s idea of a banker, dead or alive, but he and Moore (who’s never been more appealing) make sweet chemistry together. Newcomer Tony Goldwyn is disarming as Swayze’s best friend and banking colleague, and Bruce Jarchow has a wonderful bit as a perplexed bank officer Whoopi has to con into turning over $4 million. If such a thing as a sleeper exists in this big hype season, “Ghost” may be it.
