The film "Ghostlight" is about a family navigating grief and the transformative healing power of art. Available now on Apple and Prime Video, it is not to be missed. The movie plays out as if it were real life and its emotional wallops creep up quietly but its toll lingers long after viewing. This is due to the brilliant script and exceptional acting by the ensemble cast. The script is by Kelly O'Sullivan ("Saint Francis"). O'Sullivan co-directed with Alex Thompson. The two had previously collaborated on the critically acclaimed "Saint Francis" film. The patriarch of the family is a burly construction worker, Dan played to perfection by Keith Kupferer ("The Dark Knight"). Dan and his wife Sharon (Tara Mallen) are at their wits end dealing with their obstreperous teenage daughter, Daisy (a star-making performance by Katherine Kupferer). Daisy is belligerent, irreverent and hostile towards everyone. She's being threatened with expulsion for having shoved a teacher. Daisy's outbursts towards everyone and everything is tearing her family apart. The credible familial dynamics may be due in part to the fact they comprise a family in real life. The three all seem to be holding on to each other and their sanities by gossamer strings. It's revealed later on that the family is dealing with the recent death of Daisy's brother. The principal offers Daisy's parents a reprieve from her expulsion of Daisy if they get her into counseling and strongly urges them to seek family therapy. Dan is not the kind of man prone to talking about his problems. But then, he's not the type of guy you'd expect to join a ragtag theater company in the midst of putting on Shakespeare's "Romeo & Juliet," a play he knows nothing about. Daisy is the thespian in the family. When she announces she's not going out for the school's play this year; something she's always relished, her folks are further perplexed. Daisy follows her father to his secretive rehearsals where she's surprised by her dad and delighted to join the troupe. Sharon's the last to know Dan and Daisy are covertly rehearsing a play. She thought Dan guilty of having an affair and no clue what Daisy had been up to. The play within the movie consists of a cast of amateur, volunteer actors. Each with their own eccentricities and charm. A few of the cast demonstrate noteworthy talents including Rita (Dolly de Leon) and Greg (Dexter Zollicoffer). Greg gives a stirring rendition of "Stand by Me" during the group's karaoke night. Daisy does a number from Oklahoma that could earn her a Tony on Broadway. Meanwhile, Dan has been spending money the family doesn't have for an attorney to litigate a wrongful death suit against the parent of their deceased son's girlfriend. Shakespear's tragic play eerily mirrors the family's drama but unlike the woeful ending of "Romeo & Juliet" the family shows signs of healing that steer towards "All's Well That Ends Well". The one night run of the play receives a rousing standing ovation which is what I give this heartfelt film. "Rita promises Dan after their curtain call, "Next play will be a comedy."
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