Ghost Month (2009)

Reviewed by Scott A. Johnson

Starring Marina Resa, Shirley To, Akiko Shima, Rick Irvin

Directed by Danny Draven

Important safety tip for any young student: If the job seems too good to be true, it probably is. Also, if there's a moderately successful Japanese movie out there somewhere, someone in America will dumb it down and remake it. Bearing that in mind, we present for your consideration Ghost Month.

A blatant rip-off of The Maid, Ghost Month follows Alyssa (Marina Resa) as she accepts a job as a maid in an Asian woman's house. After only a few minutes in the house, watchers can see that there is something weird going on, but not our plucky heroine. It seems she's arrived just in time for the "ghost month," the time of year when Chinese people believe they can contact and satiate the dead. Rather than obey their rules or get the hell out (like most intelligent people would do), Alyssa breaks most of the rules for dealing with the dead and manages to unfold a mystery while she's there.

There are a few good points to this movie, but they are overshadowed. In addition to being an uncredited remake, the low-budget feel of it keeps the audience from ever really connecting with the movie. Add to that bad acting by Shirly To, a paper-thin predictable plot, and some very cheesy special effects; and you have Ghost Month

If there are two high points to this movie, they are lead actress Marina Resa, her estranged boyfriend Jerod Edington, and her love-interest Rick Irvin. All three actors show that they have good instincts and delivery, despite being saddled with a rotten script. However, it is an impossible task to pull this movie out of the garbage dumpster.

If you're looking for a good movie, rent The Maid instead.

1 out of 5

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