Things Only Adults Notice In Casper

Casper lays its foundations quickly, and we key in on a lonely ghost channel surfing. Suddenly, an episode of Hard Copy comes on about a ghost psychologist named Dr. James Harvey, played by a smirking Bill Pullman. The show displays the doctor as legitimate, complete with positive customer testimonies. While being interviewed, Harvey gives a heartfelt monologue about helping the dead move on to the afterlife. Given that we've already been watching ghosts terrorize mansion intruders, it seems that he's the hero we need right now. Well, not exactly. More of an accidental hero.

But later, when Casper (Malachi Pearson) reveals himself to Harvey, the psychologist kinda ... freaks out. He screams in horror and takes off running through the mansion with his daughter, Kat (Ricci), over his shoulder, almost knocking her head against the narrow archways. It's obvious that he's never seen a ghost before. But doesn't he make a living helping people with ghost issues? Well, similar to a fortune teller, it's painfully obvious that Harvey has been conning people to fund chasing his own obsessions. Granted, he does process the whole ordeal quickly, and the ghosts and him get all chummy. But his initial reaction is a revelation that makes you think back on the TV testimonials from earlier, with that poor, sweet old lady who believed Harvey had dissipated her hubby into the ether with a smile. We bet she put nothing but love into that meatloaf she paid him with.

At breakfast, Casper's uncles whoosh in with their wispy tails whipping up the kitchen in the style of military helicopters while the "Ride of The Valkyries" is playing loudly. Stretch leans in and bellows, "I love the smell of fleshies in the morning!" It's a fun moment for any child to smile at, no doubt, and it's probably best they have no idea it's in reference to an iconic moment in Apocalypse Now — a dark, gritty look at the madness that is the Vietnam War. In fact, Casper is packed with references that come rapid-fire in some scenes, such as the mirror scene where we get Clint Eastwood, Rodney Dangerfield, and then the Crypt Keeper. 

Adults watching Casper will also enjoy the slew of clever jokes that writers sprinkled throughout the film. Kudos to them. After all, the weight of parenthood has its perks, and knowing more than the kiddos is a guilty pleasure, like eating ice cream after midnight. The kid-friendly antics throughout Casper are complimented by plenty of adult-based wordplay. Our favorite has to be when Harvey realizes he has to have "the talk" with his daughter. When he begins to lecture on the topic, Kat stops him and says, "You're a little late for that, Dad." She knows about these things already, you goofball. After a thoughtful pause, Harvey responds, "How late?" It's a wonderfully layered joke that will pull a giggle out of the most cynical adult.

After much hazing from the ghostly trio, the spirits realize they've pushed the doc to his limits. He's fed up with their antics. In response, they all exclaim that it's time for "happy hour," and then they scoop up the mopey doctor and carry him off into the night. The next time we see them, they're in a well-lit bar, singing the hits next to a jukebox. It appears that Harvey is a happy drunk. He professes his love for each of the ghosts and plants a juicy kiss on each of their ectoplasmic lips.

The uncles had planned on killing the doc so he could haunt with them, but the sweet gesture turns them into weeping piles of regret. But that's when Harvey dances about and kicks open the double doors leading out of the bar. The ghosts watch speechless as he back steps right into ... a construction pit? The length of his yelp during the fall makes it clear that the pit is quite deep. Doom lies at the bottom, no doubt. 

And adults undoubtedly get taken out of the film at this point. There's absolutely no reason for such a vast pit to be right outside of a bar. And why would those doors be unlocked if there was? If it was the front door, how do the customers get in and out? This scene raises a lot of questions, and most of them involve whoever regulates construction code in Friendship, Maine.

Kat's dad has been dragging his daughter across the country in search of his dead wife's spirit, and he vows this will be the last go-round, unaware of what awaits them at Whipstaff Manor. When they learn his backstory, the uncles offer to bring his wife's ghost to the mansion. They have him believe they've met her and know where her angel "floats." They trick Harvey into dramatically entering a room, with his eyes full of hope that his life pursuit is about to be fulfilled. He's about to see the woman he loves and misses right in front of him. It's a dream everyone has had, and the ghosts behind him, pushing him forward, hint that the situation could plausibly have a happy ending. 

Turns out, Fatso is dressed in drag and plants a big sloppy kiss on his face before laughing. What a delightful prank! Nope. The full effect of what kind of cruel joke is played will be lost on children in the room. There are sparkly dresses, goofy voices, and laughter, so all in good fun for the little ones. But any empathetic adult will see a terrible prank to play on someone. Good thing it's just a movie with Bill Pullman in a cardigan, so we can feel guilt free for smiling a teensy bit at Lone Starr's naivety.

Hosting is an essential part of being a fully formed adult. It's an opportunity to cater to those you care about while showing off the nifty glassware you just bought. There's a lot to set up and prepare for. Unless your friends are on the shortlist for ordainment to sainthood, you most show up with a six-pack and ask where the food is at. Being the host is both a burden and a gift ... but not when you have a mansion, apparently.

When Kat's class loses their location for the Halloween dance, everyone agrees that her place is the obvious choice. It's a spooky mansion perched atop the hillside with a haunting history. As hosts go, Kat does the absolute minimum. So much so that her and Casper forget the party is even taking place until the doorbell rings. Nothing to worry about, though. In 1995 Maine, the entire party will all show up at the exact same time. They'll bring a DJ, and they'll set everything up for you. That way, you can focus on resurrecting your dead father before dramatically entering from the top of the stairway in your nasty, old, dead-woman's dress.

Adults who've had party guests know that the best you can usually hope for is a potato salad that your friend swears is "a family recipe." But us grownups know the truth. Every family's potato salad recipe was on the back of a Miracle Whip jar for a decade. Cynicism is unavoidable sometimes.

There's a lot to the world of Casper that the writers aren't telling us. Like, what kind of wacky family names their kids Fatso, Stinky, and Stretch and possesses enough pride to etch the names into their beds' headboards. Or how much does a Dan Akroyd Ghostbusters cameo cost? Our biggest question to the writers is how does the whole "becoming a ghost thing" work? As far as the movie shows, haunting your old house comes standard with death. All you need is some unfinished business, which has to be hard when you don't have any memory of your life before death. Purgatory sounds real if it means being trapped in a prison where all you have to do is finish that ship in a bottle you started, but you can't quite remember where you are.

First, Carrigan kicks the bucket and turns into a ghost. Then Harvey dies and turns into a ghost, as well. So does everyone in this reality just automatically become a ghost until they say "I'm good" out loud? If you're a kid, that makes perfect sense. Adults will be left wanting more explanation. Perhaps it's the mansion itself? In which case, Casper may have lured Kat there with malicious intentions. Loneliness can change a man. Here's to the innocence of the '90s movie audiences.