A Ghost Story (2017)

A Ghost Story (2017), written and directed by David Lowery, is a poetic, meditative exploration of time, memory, and loss. Far from a traditional ghost tale, this film turns the trope on its head, giving audiences a haunting and emotional journey from the perspective of the ghost itself.

Detailed Summary

A Quiet Life Interrupted

The film begins with a couple, known only as C (Casey Affleck) and M (Rooney Mara), living a quiet life in a modest suburban home in Texas. There are signs of tension—he wants to stay in the house; she wants to move. Their emotional distance is subtle but palpable.

Tragedy Strikes

C dies suddenly in a car accident just outside their house. We see M identify his body at the hospital morgue. After she leaves, the camera lingers… and C’s body slowly rises under the white sheet. He becomes a ghost—literally, a figure with a sheet over his head and two black eyeholes—and silently walks back to their home.

The Ghost Watches

As a spectral observer, C silently watches M grieve. He lingers in their house as time passes, watching M spiral into grief and loneliness. One of the most memorable (and meme-famous) scenes is a single-shot sequence where M eats an entire pie in near silence—a powerful, devastating moment of raw grief.

Eventually, M moves out, and C remains. New families move in, come and go, and the house transforms with each new tenant. C becomes increasingly detached from his past life, his presence turning more restless and even destructive.

Time Becomes a Loop

Time speeds up. C watches decades pass in moments. He sees the house demolished and a futuristic city built in its place. Still, he remains, stuck in a kind of spiritual purgatory. At one point, he jumps backward in time, witnessing settlers from centuries earlier staking the land.

The Note

Early in the film, M hides a small note in a crack in the wall before leaving the house. C spends much of the film trying to retrieve it, clawing at the wall in futility. This note becomes a powerful symbol of his lingering attachment to his past and to her.

Movie Ending

In a transcendental final act, C witnesses his own life and death in a time loop. Another version of himself reappears, dies, and becomes a ghost again. When the house is rebuilt once more, he finally succeeds in retrieving M’s hidden note.

He opens it. We don’t see what’s written, but whatever it is brings him peace.

The sheet collapses. He is gone.

The film ends quietly, as it began—an entire cosmic cycle of grief, love, and time folding in on itself.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, A Ghost Story does not have any post-credits scenes. The movie ends on a final emotional beat, and there are no surprises or tags afterward. The closing credits are accompanied by a haunting, ambient score, giving viewers time to sit with the film’s existential resonance.

Type of Movie

A Ghost Story is best described as a supernatural drama with strong elements of experimental art film and philosophical science fiction. It’s not horror, despite the title—it’s more a meditation on mortality, time, and memory.

Cast

• Casey Affleck as C
• Rooney Mara as M
• Will Oldham as The Prognosticator
• Liz Franke as Maria
• Brea Grant as Clara

Film Music and Composer

The ethereal and moving score was composed by Daniel Hart, a frequent collaborator of David Lowery. The film’s standout piece is “I Get Overwhelmed” by Hart’s band, Dark Rooms, which plays during flashbacks and emotional peaks. The music plays a central role in building atmosphere and emotion throughout the story.

Filming Locations

• Irving, Texas: The film was shot almost entirely in this small Texas suburb, particularly in a single rented house which was scheduled for demolition.
• The simplicity of the location reflects the story’s minimalist tone, grounding the metaphysical themes in a very mundane, relatable setting.

Awards and Nominations

• National Board of Review – Top Ten Independent Films of the Year
• Deauville American Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize (nominated)
• While not heavily awarded in mainstream ceremonies, A Ghost Story received critical acclaim and became a cult favorite among indie film lovers.

Behind the Scenes Insights

• David Lowery shot the film secretly right after Pete’s Dragon (2016), with almost no announcement or promotion during production.
• The ghost costume was literally a white bedsheet, custom-made to be expressive through posture and framing.
• Casey Affleck was not under the sheet for all scenes—body doubles filled in occasionally due to the physical demands and long takes.
• Rooney Mara’s pie-eating scene took one take and lasted over 5 minutes—an unbroken sequence meant to portray real-time grief.
• The house used was actually set for demolition, allowing the team to modify and destroy parts of it during filming.

Inspirations and References

• The film was loosely inspired by David Lowery’s personal reflections on mortality and what legacy we leave behind.
• Philosophically, it draws on the ideas of eternal return, Buddhist impermanence, and Einsteinian time—that time is not linear.
• The ghost design is a deliberate throwback to childhood portrayals of ghosts, recontextualized in a serious tone.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

There are no officially released alternate endings. However, early drafts of the script had the ghost following M to her new life instead of staying in the house, but this was scrapped to keep the narrative focused on place-based memory.

Book Adaptations and Differences

A Ghost Story is not based on a book, though its themes resonate with works like:

• Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman
• The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
  The film shares emotional and philosophical DNA with these literary works, though it is entirely original.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• M eating the pie in total silence while C watches, helpless
• The ghost watching time fast-forward to the distant future
• A ghost across the street waving at C—another spirit stuck in place
• The note finally being retrieved and read
• A party scene where Will Oldham’s character delivers a monologue on entropy and the fate of the universe

Iconic Quotes

• “We build our legacy piece by piece, and maybe the whole world will remember you, or maybe just a couple of people, but you do what you can to make sure you’re still around after you’re gone.” — Will Oldham
• “They’re gone.” — The second ghost

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• The piano chord heard early in the film reappears throughout, subtly linking moments in time.
• The second ghost wears a floral-patterned sheet, suggesting every ghost has a unique identity—even under identical disguises.
• There’s a subtle looping of sound and visuals, indicating that the ghost is trapped in a time loop.
• The initial argument between C and M about moving foreshadows C’s entire arc—his inability to let go of the past.

Trivia

• The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2017, receiving a standing ovation.
• The pie Rooney Mara eats was vegan chocolate cream pie—she’s a vegan, and the scene was done in a single, grueling take.
• The crew had trouble keeping the bedsheet from blowing away during outdoor scenes.
• Despite its limited dialogue, the film deeply resonated with viewers and critics for its emotional depth and visual poetry.
• The film was shot in 9:16 aspect ratio (a boxy, almost square frame) to give a claustrophobic, timeless feel.

Why Watch?

If you enjoy films that challenge conventional storytelling and emphasize atmosphere over plot, A Ghost Story is essential viewing. It’s emotionally devastating, visually arresting, and intellectually rewarding. This film isn’t about what happens—it’s about what lingers. It invites you to think about love, death, the passage of time, and what it means to let go.

Director’s Other Movies

• The Green Knight (2021)
• Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (2013)
• Pete’s Dragon (2016)
• The Old Man & the Gun (2018)

Recommended Films for Fans

• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
• The Tree of Life (2011)
• The Green Knight (2021)
• Lost in Translation (2003)
• Another Earth (2011)
• Synecdoche, New York (2008)
• Columbus (2017)
• After Yang (2021)