Ghost stories in cinema are nothing new. Odd sounds emanate from nowhere. Items relocating around a house. The feeling of being watched though nobody is there. These are the typical haunting tropes audiences have seen rehashed, reimagined, and redone for years. Though, every now and again, a narrative comes along which plays with the tried and true concepts in a thoughtful way not seen in the past. The Civil Dead is such a film.

Written by lead actors Clay Tatum and Whitmer Thomas, and directed by Tatum, The Civil Dead brings a clever, dark comedic bent to an otherwise well-treaded conceit.

The Friendly Ghost

The Civil Dead on the surface has the look and feel of a modern hipster comedy with its deadpan humor (pun intended) and slacker disposition of the main characters. Taum plays Clay, a down-on-his-luck photographer living in L.A. with his wife Whitney (Whitney Weir), who would love nothing more than to see Clay pull himself out of the creative funk he’s been wallowing in. When Whitney has to leave for a week to help produce a film, she tasks Clay to not watch the television and drink beer all day and get back to work on a new photo project. Reluctantly heeding her advice, Clay wanders the streets looking for inspiration only to meet up with his old high school buddy Whit (Whitmer Thomas), a struggling actor who moved to California after seeing how well Clay had done.

source: Utopia

What begins as an awkward reunion soon becomes a burden for Clay when Whit reveals he is a ghost that only Clay can see. Desperate for some kind of human interaction, Whit begs his old friend to spend time with him like in the old days. Reluctantly agreeing, Clay and Whit embark on a scheme to make Whit feel useful in their relationship by cheating at a poker game. What seems like fun and games at first, Whit begins to feel alienated when Clay’s selfish, introverted demeanor floats to the surface leading to the main conflict.

It’s Not Easy Being Dead

The rules of being a ghost are laid out early in the duo’s relationship. Ghosts can’t move objects, per se, unless they become angry. Passing through objects is not a thing, leaving the specter to wait until someone opens a door to let them in. Or let them out. You wear the clothes you died in for eternity, so far as not even being able to remove your shoes. Finally, the dead can’t feel anything physically. These simple contrivances bring interesting, refreshing plot points to an otherwise quiet buddy comedy in the guise of a ghost story.

source: Utopia

What is so interesting about the leads is the slow unraveling of their separate personalities throughout. Clay begins as a seemingly depressed underachiever, gradually showing his stripes as a selfish schemer who shows little regard for others. On the flip side, Whit plays as the beaten, eager-to-please type desperate to find even the smallest connection to a world he can no longer participate in. Together they form an uneasy friendship where Whit needs the reluctant Clay out of sheer necessity, leaving him to kowtow for even a modicum of human interaction while hiding the disdain Clay causes him for fear of losing his only connection to the living world.

The ghost rules set forth by the script do well to set up Clay and Whit’s tumultuous relationship, playing with the spectral laws Whit is forced to adhere to and Clay looks to exploit. One of the more notable examples of these genre-bending scenes (MINOR SPOILER) involves Clay trying to keep Whit a secret from his wife, who has been noticing Clay talking to himself and acting out of sorts. He asks Whit to go for a drive so they can talk.

source: Utopia

Having to open the door for Whit, once inside the vehicle Clay simply closes the door, knowing the ghost cannot phase through the car or work the handle to escape. A darkly comedic beat that leaves the audience in a polarized state between humor and sympathy for Whit. This small twist to the rules leaves the living in a seat of power over the spirits who would normally have the upper hand in these yarns.

You’re Dead To Me

The film comes to a  jaw-dropping conclusion that gut-punches the viewer in a satisfyingly visceral way. There was an honest moment of reflection while the credits rolled and I found myself coming to terms with the final outcome. Brilliantly shrewd as it is enraging to witness, the final act is such a powerful conclusion to an otherwise slow-burn comedy.

For all of its innovative mythology, humorous story beats, and well-fleshed-out characters, The Civil Dead plays as a bit of an oddity compared to a typical ghost story. Far from the trappings of a commercially produced feature, the film takes its time with what it is trying to accomplish while keeping the dialogue and story progression subtle. Tatum and Thomas tell the tale they set out to convey with a spirited independent film feel, much appreciated in these times of studio notes and moneyman interference. I would recommend The Civil Dead to anyone looking for an off-the-beaten-path comedy that won’t have you slapping your knee but still entertains throughout.

The Civil Dead was released in theaters January 27th. 

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