At the film's open, Oliver McCaffrey ( Nicholas Stargel ) meets Eloise (Rhea Perlman) and helps her in the garden. His family has just moved into the neighborhood, but they soon find STRANGE things happening in their new house. Oliver notices it first, but the rest of the family won't believe him. More and more strange things happen in the house, which they can't blame on Oliver. Keep an eye out for (Clive) Martin Mull, who plays an important role in the film.. Mull has been working steadily since the 1970s. Most will remember him as the boss on Roseanne, but some of you are probably old enough to remember him from "Fernwood Tonight", back in the day. Most of the "special effects" shown here are just simple, easy tricks of editing photography and film shots, running the film backwards. It's okay. Very family friendly. Deals with youngster's issues and dealing with his dysfunctional family and school issues. Shown on the Hallmark Channel. Has pumpkins and ghosts, so I expect it will be shown just prior to Halloween each year. Written by David Golden -- looks like a lot of his work is written for Lifetime or Hallmark Channel. Directed by David Cass, who has done stunts, acting, directing movies for TV, and even writing. I see that he has worked on several films with Robert Mitchum, in uncredited roles or stunts. Got his start doing stunts for TV series in the early 60s. No date of birth shown on his IMDb page, but clearly he's been around a while and worked with some biggies.
4 Reviews
Ghost in the attic
Prismark101 November 2015
Oliver's Ghost is a family film with a spooky twist and a message that families should listen to each other and be for each other.
The McCaffrey's have moved from their bustling city life to their new home and hope to spend more time together and less at work.
Their youngest son, 11 year old Oliver hears some noises in the attic and gets bullied at school. His older sister does little to help and wrapped up in her own world.
Oliver discovers that the attic has a ghost who has been hanging around for 40 years and explains why previous owners have the house have quickly departed.
The trouble is Oliver cannot get other members of the family to see the ghost and it seems that the ghost has unfinished business regarding his daughter before he can move on.
This is a made for television film which has its moments and plenty of charm that younger kids will enjoy. Martin Mull has a ball as the abrasive ghost who understands Oliver more than his family.
The McCaffrey's have moved from their bustling city life to their new home and hope to spend more time together and less at work.
Their youngest son, 11 year old Oliver hears some noises in the attic and gets bullied at school. His older sister does little to help and wrapped up in her own world.
Oliver discovers that the attic has a ghost who has been hanging around for 40 years and explains why previous owners have the house have quickly departed.
The trouble is Oliver cannot get other members of the family to see the ghost and it seems that the ghost has unfinished business regarding his daughter before he can move on.
This is a made for television film which has its moments and plenty of charm that younger kids will enjoy. Martin Mull has a ball as the abrasive ghost who understands Oliver more than his family.
Good, family-friendly film
herrcarter-9216125 October 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This movie was a fantasy about a ghost, but above all, it was a film about the importance of family. The performances were good, especially from Nicholas Stargel, who plays our very cute and relatable young hero Oliver and from Martin Mull, who plays the curmudgeonly ghost Clive with just the right mix of crustiness and warmth. The relationship between the marginalized Oliver and his unlikely mentor Clive was well done, though I did think that Clive became Oliver's friend just a little too quickly. I think just a little more development of the relationship was in order.
I liked how the story was not just about the ghost, but delved into family dynamics. This family had to learn the hard way that becoming a close, loving family takes more than just moving from a big city to a small town. It requires really taking the time to be there for each other. I also liked the theme that you shouldn't waste the precious moments you have with your loved ones, which is what Clive did with his daughter while he was alive. I enjoyed the feel-good ending, where they track down Clive's daughter, now an old woman, and help Clive achieve some closure by helping her realize he loved her and was sorry for their estrangement. I would have preferred to have her be able to see him, so he could tell her himself. The ending where they delivered his letter to her just wasn't as satisfying. I also find it kind of stupid how, in most recent ghost stories, the ghost is able to connect with physical matter, as Clive did in penning his letter to his daughter. Ghosts have no body to do this, and it's just a cheat by the writers of these stories, in my opinion.
The screenplay was a bit clunky in a couple of spots. I didn't really like the scene where the family was getting a lecture from Clive the ghost. It seemed a little weird, especially since they had just started seeing him and would likely have still been freaked out by his mere presence. A better way to do this might have been to have had Clive saying these things to Oliver and having his family eavesdrop on their conversation. Fortunately, the rough patches in the script were rather minor. I think the mere nature of made-for-TV movies, with their compressed production schedule, doesn't allow for the kind of polishing that the screenwriters need to iron out the rough edges of their stories.
All in all, I found "Oliver's Ghost" to be an entertaining, feel-good, family-friendly film that warms your heart just watching it. It's not a perfect movie, but it is certainly worthy of a watch or two.
I liked how the story was not just about the ghost, but delved into family dynamics. This family had to learn the hard way that becoming a close, loving family takes more than just moving from a big city to a small town. It requires really taking the time to be there for each other. I also liked the theme that you shouldn't waste the precious moments you have with your loved ones, which is what Clive did with his daughter while he was alive. I enjoyed the feel-good ending, where they track down Clive's daughter, now an old woman, and help Clive achieve some closure by helping her realize he loved her and was sorry for their estrangement. I would have preferred to have her be able to see him, so he could tell her himself. The ending where they delivered his letter to her just wasn't as satisfying. I also find it kind of stupid how, in most recent ghost stories, the ghost is able to connect with physical matter, as Clive did in penning his letter to his daughter. Ghosts have no body to do this, and it's just a cheat by the writers of these stories, in my opinion.
The screenplay was a bit clunky in a couple of spots. I didn't really like the scene where the family was getting a lecture from Clive the ghost. It seemed a little weird, especially since they had just started seeing him and would likely have still been freaked out by his mere presence. A better way to do this might have been to have had Clive saying these things to Oliver and having his family eavesdrop on their conversation. Fortunately, the rough patches in the script were rather minor. I think the mere nature of made-for-TV movies, with their compressed production schedule, doesn't allow for the kind of polishing that the screenwriters need to iron out the rough edges of their stories.
All in all, I found "Oliver's Ghost" to be an entertaining, feel-good, family-friendly film that warms your heart just watching it. It's not a perfect movie, but it is certainly worthy of a watch or two.
A Great Family Film
donrholloway22 October 2011
In the Hallmark Channel film "Oliver's Ghost", eleven-year-old Oliver (Nicholas Stargel) is the youngest of the family of four who have just moved in to their new home. They have been wondering why the previous owner left in such a hurry. Well, watch the film and you'll find out--just as they did. This is a great family film which focuses on the need for family members to listen to one another and to help one another. It is not a movie that will be frightening to young children. Martin Mull plays the role of the ghost (referred to in the title). He does a great job in this dramatic role as does the adorable Nicholas Stargel in the leading role as Oliver. Also, watch for Rhea Perlman in a fine dramatic role. I hope this movie will be released on DVD as there is a real market for good family films like this. This movie is well-cast and well-acted and I would recommend it highly for anyone of any age.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
