‘A Useful Ghost’ Review: Dead Spirits Inhabit the Appliances of Their Living Loved Ones in a Delightfully Absurd Thai Sex Comedy

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Contrary to expectations based on its bizarre blend of supernatural events and incongruous genre mix, as well as its abrupt shifts in tone that seem illogical, the Thai film “A Useful Ghost (Phi Chidi Kha)” should not function effectively. However, surprisingly, it does. Debuting writer-director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke sets his own rules in this feature film that premiered in the Critics’ Week sidebar at Cannes.

The story begins comically, involving spirits of deceased individuals taking control of household and industrial appliances in search of their living loved ones. It then transitions into a series of unexpectedly heartfelt love stories, some of which explore queer themes passionately. Ultimately, it reaches a climax with the emergence of a brutal class struggle that extends across both spiritual and physical realms. Boonbunchachoke’s deft handling of comedy, melodrama, and social commentary has generated excitement at the Croisette, where camp Thai content tends to be well-received. The film is expected to enjoy a prolonged run on the festival circuit.

Despite its playful nature, “A Useful Ghost” carries a significant intellectual weight, drawing you in with its gravitational pull. It’s not surprising, given the film’s background, that Apichatpong Weerasethakul – its creator – is known for more than just directing movies. In addition to creating his own short films and writing commercial scripts and TV episodes in Thailand, he also lectures on film theory and writes film criticism.

Viewing “Academic Ladyboy” (Wisarut Homhuan), our initial character, with his book-filled apartment and love for tales, as a reflection of the director himself is quite an intriguing perspective. Interestingly, this character possesses a piece of a municipal bas-relief panel, which is briefly mentioned in the opening prologue. This panel showcases typical Thai figures such as Buddhist monks, soldiers, and farmers, and its removal to make way for a new shopping mall mirrors the recurring themes in the film about the obliteration of history and the vulnerability of memory, foreshadowing the demolition of historical sites for commercial development.

The movie’s narrative unfolds through tales shared with an Academic named Ladyboy (yes, his actual credit name), who makes a call to technical support due to his new vacuum cleaner mysteriously coughing loudly at night, in a manner reminiscent of a human. Shortly after, the enigmatic, almost ethereal blonde repairman Krong (Wanlop Rungkumjad) arrives at Ladyboy’s doorstep to inspect the malfunctioning device. Unphased by the vacuum’s supernatural issue, Krong attributes it to a common problem with appliances from the factory he suspects of manufacturing haunted products. He then shares a series of interconnected stories about two ghosts who have significant ties to the factory.

In the narrative, the initial ghost is that of a worker named Tok (Krittin Thongmai), who passes away in unusual circumstances and subsequently haunts the factory’s dust extractors, air conditioners, and vacuum cleaners, all products of the same facility. In this fictional universe, spirits return due to unresolved matters and because someone keeps their memory alive. It will later be disclosed that Tok’s partner Pin (Wachara Kanha) is deeply grieving his loss. When no one else is present, during intimate moments between Pin and Tok (as humans, not machines), they engage in passionate encounters.

In this tale, I find myself captivated by a spectral figure and her living beloved who steal the show. As the grieving widower of Nat, portrayed gracefully by Davika Hoorne, I am March (Wisarut Himmarat). Losing my wife has been devastating, but my frequent visits to the factory, owned by Suman, her mother, have led me to an unexpected encounter. One day, I spot Nat’s ghost, adorned in a striking sapphire-blue silk gown with imposing sculptural shoulders reminiscent of Claude Montana, wandering among the machinery.

He pursues her relentlessly, yet she’s found a new dwelling – a stylish and interactive vacuum cleaner that appears to be submitting gracefully to its user, featuring a handle adorned with LED lights to indicate the vacuum’s emotions. For example, when March interacts intimately with Nat in the hospital, the lights flash red and pink, but they turn blue when she’s merely moving through corridors. Onlookers perceive March and the vacuum, with the nozzle representing Nat, as a logical interpretation. However, for March, he sees his wife, consistently dressed in a crisp, formally elegant blue dress (the costume design by Phim Umari is captivating throughout).

Despite Suman’s numerous paternal relatives disapproving of his current relationship with his deceased partner, who they considered an unsuitable match during her lifetime, she quickly wins over the living with some mysterious ability. By tapping into what appears to be psychic powers, she enters the dreams of people troubled by ghostly apparitions, resolving why these spirits won’t leave the living in peace. This is where her tale intertwines with that of Pin and Tok. Regrettably, a malevolent government official named Dr. Paul (Gandhi Wasuvitchayagit) exploits this talent to erase memories of the 2010 political uprising in Thailand through electro-shock therapy, enlisting the help of an individual named Nat for this nefarious purpose.

As the ghosts’ physical forms grow see-through, they understand that their living relatives have been forced to forget them. This realization increases tension throughout the movie, particularly as it approaches its climax. The situation is grave even for Krong, our Ishmael-esque narrator, who finally unveils his true identity. While this revelation might not come as a shock to viewers, it catches Ladyboy off guard in a humorous twist, finding himself in an awkward position during an intimate moment.

However, Boonbunchachoke’s work often showcases an unexpected blend of humor and sadness, effortlessly blending vulgar slapstick with poignant reflections on politics and history. While some viewers outside Thailand might not fully grasp the significance of references to the 2010 uprising or the Thai legend of Mae Nak, which has appeared in numerous films and TV series, the themes of mourning and remembrance are universal enough to make this piece relatable across borders.

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2025-05-21 20:25