Audience Member
It's pretty mid. I liked some things, disliked others. Typically I can suspend my disbelief a bit for the sake of things like time (as in a movie you only have about 2-ish hours to tell your story), but some things in this movie just really pushed that to the point where I was kinda checked out. Normally I'd give something like this a 1 star but there is a kind of charm to it. I don't know if it's the actors or what but I found myself kinda liking it weirdly enough? To sum it up, there are worse things to watch (especially on Netflix) but there are also better things to watch.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
12/15/24
Full Review
Bastian S
Bit cringe at times but pretty good
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
12/13/24
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Bill T
I absolutely love Peyton List. And this movie did not disappoint. Very believable story about love and heart break 💔.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
12/11/24
Full Review
Kal-El O
A truly beautiful story. 🩷 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
12/09/24
Full Review
Garrett F
Movie was in my opinion a great movie really tugging at the heart. Not really a guy who r into these movies but it really caut my attention and I was hooked most of the movie.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
12/04/24
Full Review
Casadie P
“Can you just close your eyes for a second? It’s a magic trick, a really good one.” -Bea, Girl Haunts Boy
I would argue that dying, haunting a house for a thousand years, meeting a boy and falling in love, all to end up right back where you started, is the most impressive magic trick one can pull off. In the span of an hour and forty minutes, Girl Haunts Boy manages just that, leaving the audience with a truly interesting love story. The movie follows Bea, a girl who cannot resist her curiosity, and Cole, a shy rule-follower who loves music. Bea steals a ring from a museum and is immediately hit by a car, leaving her to haunt her old house, destined to be unheard by its inhabitants. That is, until Cole puts on the ring and they discover that he can see and talk to her as long as he wears it. What follows is a story about two teenagers learning more about themselves, the importance of your bonds in life, and the power of music in uniting people. I would classify this rom-com into the supernatural sub-genre. Other movies in this genre are Ghost and City of Angels. These movies also have to do with supernatural creatures, specifically Ghost, which obviously includes a ghost.
I will admit that the movie has the potential to fall short. The story is full of tropes and well-used storylines, risking boring the audience with how often they have seen them. However, I’m a sucker for a good trope, and the unique combination in this movie is compelling enough for a good movie to me. However, this might not be the case for others. The writers seemed to have done their homework, working funny references to the 1920s into the dialogue and seemingly never having Bea go beyond the bounds of what she would know from her time. This works in favor of the two main characters’ developing relationship as they can both teach each other what they know, specifically in the area they bond the most, music. The soundtrack is expertly chosen, with songs that introduce the audience to the characters and help them understand their motivations as soon as they arrive on screen, in addition to pleasant background music that helps set the tone in more suspenseful or meaningful scenes. My favorite aspect of the film is the lighting. The saturation of the settings in the movie is strong, not falling into the common theme of terrible lighting that has been in so many movies and TV shows recently. It contrasts with the fact that the movie revolves around death. But the creators are not afraid to play with lighting and temperature, in happier scenes it is brighter, and in sadder scenes, it is darker. The best example of this attention to temperature is in my favorite scene of the movie. Bea and Cole are standing in the theater of their shared high school, separated by decades. Cole is playing guitar and singing, while Bea listens in. It is not extremely clear whether or not she can actually hear him, but I choose to believe that there is some lingering aspect of their connection that allows it so she can keep her promise to him of being right there in the front row as he performs. Yet they are still visually separated by the light, Cole in warm yellow light, with Bea in cold white light, showing the audience that they are truly separated.
The actors they chose for this movie are extremely talented. I’ll never complain about seeing Payton List in a film. I believe she does an excellent job in this film as she portrays Bea consistently and hilariously. Michael Cimino does a good job as well, but that is not a surprise as I have seen him play similar roles before. Both of them are able to achieve the humor required for the movie to delight the audience, but I am more impressed with their emotional scenes. I’m not the best person to tell you when actors are able to move the audience because I will cry at the drop of a hat, but I will argue that these two could make anyone feel for them. The reveal that Bea did not pass on to the afterlife, but instead was able to go right back to the moment she left was poignantly portrayed through the photo album. It also gives Cole some closure as he now knows for sure that Bea is happy and gets her wish of going back to her life.
The film isn’t groundbreaking, of course, but I would argue it is worth everyone watching. The two main characters share a compelling story and leave the audience thinking about them. Whether that be wishing that against all odds they could have had a happier ending, or holding that satisfying sadness in their chest of two individuals creating a lasting bond for as much time as they could, it is meaningful and stays with you. The shortness of the movie also lends itself to this as it shows how short Bea and Cole’s time together was, and allows it to be a quick watch for audience members with less free time on their hands. No matter who you are, you can gain enjoyment from at least one aspect of the movie, which is why I strongly urge everyone to watch it.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
11/23/24
Full Review
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