Casper is a friendly ghost story with a big heart, and decades later it’s still a cozy watch. I rarely think about it, but whenever it’s on, I’m happy to sit down with it.
Kat is a lonely teenager who moves into a creepy old mansion with her dad, a “ghost therapist” played by Bill Pullman. There she meets a sweet ghost who just wants a friend. That friendship is the movie’s best asset. Christina Ricci makes Kat feel real and a little sad. Malachi Pearson’s voice work gives the ghost a gentle hopefulness that has you rooting for him. Even Devon Sawa’s brief dance scene near the end lands.
Pullman is funny and charming as the frazzled dad. Cathy Moriarty goes big as the greedy villain hunting for the mansion’s treasure. She’s clearly having a blast, and it’s contagious.
The effects hold up well for 1995. The ghosts look great, and the mansion feels more magical than scary, like a kid-friendly Beetlejuice.
Pacing is where it stumbles. The Ghostly Trio, the little ghost’s three uncles, are meant as comic relief, but they’re more grating than funny, and their scenes drag. The treasure hunt feels like it wandered in from another movie and steals time from Kat and her new friend. The story is predictable, and a few emotional beats tip into sappy.
Still, it’s warm, sweet, and easy to love on family movie night. Not a classic, but a good ghost to keep around.
