Ghost Dad (1990)
Average Rating: 2.6/10
Reviews Counted: 28
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 26
A startlingly misconceived effort from director Sidney Poitier and star Bill Cosby, Ghost Dad is a listless, glacially-paced comedy that's alternately schmaltzy and incomprehensible.
Average Rating: 3.3/10
Critic Reviews: 9
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 8
A startlingly misconceived effort from director Sidney Poitier and star Bill Cosby, Ghost Dad is a listless, glacially-paced comedy that's alternately schmaltzy and incomprehensible.
liked it
Average Rating: 2.5/5
User Ratings: 36,316
Movie Info
Bill Cosby mugs so uncontrollably that it looks as if he may be the victim of a muscular disorder in the inane and unfunny Ghost Dad. Cosby plays Elliot, a workaholic widower with three children -- Danny (Salim Grant), Amanda (Brooke Fontainbe), and the teenage Diane (Kimberly Russell). Elliot is hoping to close a big deal that will mean a promotion, more money, and lots of perks, but a cab ride with a freaked-out cab driver causes his untimely demise. Elliot discovers that he is now a ghost and
Jun 29, 1990 Wide
Feb 15, 2000
MCA Universal Home Video
Watch It Now
Cast
-
Bill Cosby
Elliot Hopper -
Kimberly Russell
Diane Hopper -
Denise Nicholas
Joan -
Ian Bannen
Sir Edith Moser -
Christine Ebersole
Carol -
Salim Grant
Danny Hopper -
Barry Corbin
Mr. Collins -
Brooke Fontaine
Amanda Hopper -
Dana Ashbrook
Tony Ricker -
Omar Gooding
Stuart -
Donzaleigh Abernathy
E.R. Nurse -
Frank Biro
Executive -
-
Robert Covarrubias
Man in Waiting Room -
Patrika Darbo
Nurse -
Bryant Edwards
Student #4 -
-
Raymond E. Foti
Executive #4 -
George Ganz
Mr. Nero -
Austin Garrett
Buddy #3 -
Meredith Gordon
Woman in Taxi -
Cindi Gossett
ER Doctor -
-
Ted Hayden
Executive #3 -
Amy Hill
Nurse #1 -
Adam Jeffries
Buddy #2 -
Douglas Allen Johnso...
Lab Technician -
Becky Katzen
Student #3 -
Kevin Lee
Student #2 -
Dakin Matthews
Mr. Seymour -
James McIntire
Sheriff -
-
Brian Mitchell
Teacher -
Jeanne Mori
I.C.U. Nurse #2 -
Jizelle Morris
Screaming Girl -
Mary Munday
Executive #1 -
Lisa Mene Nemacheck
Jonelle -
Pamela Poitier
Nurse Satler -
Robin Pearson Rose
Hospital Administrat... -
Raynor Scheine
Cabbie -
Cedric Scott
Announcer -
Arnold Stang
Mr. Cohen -
Becky Sweet
Classmate -
Trenton Teigen
Student -
Rita Vassallo
I.C.U. Nurse #1 -
Nathaniel Merrill
Executive #2 -
-
-
Eric Menyuk
Clinic Doctor
ADVERTISEMENT
Ghost Dad Trailer & Photos
All Critics (28) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (2) | Rotten (26) | DVD (2)
I suppose you can't blame the star of one of TV's most popular series for attempting to conquer the movies -- yet again. What's perplexing is that Cosby keeps choosing vehicles that seem designed to sabotage the conquest.
Top CriticGhost Dad may be the dumbest major-studio movie of this none-too-bright summer.
The comedy represents a step up from the inane debacle of Leonard Part 6, but one has to concede that no other direction was possible.
When a picture's biggest selling point is that it's risque by kiddie standards, that doesn't say much for its overall quality.
Poitier's rhythms are so sluggish that the film's finale seems to have been optically speeded up in a last-ditch attempt to give the picture some dash and energy.
Unctuous, flat and phony, a farce that has the pace of a Broadway bus at rush hour.
Bill Cosby ghost movie has some iffy humor, profanity.
Why are Cosby and Poitier wasting their time -- and ours -- with this twaddle?
Ghost Dad is so bad, it's scary.
Solve this show business mystery: How is it that the greatly gifted Bill Cosby, a comedy guru with few peers, makes bad movies? The latest entry on his depressing film resume is Ghost Dad.
Just depressing and incompetently assembled, reaching for a madcap mood of paranormal activity that results in one long headache. I now see why Poitier never directed again and Cosby refused another leading role in a feature film.
On the big screen Cosby's heartfelt decency continues to come across as blandness.
Bill Cosby Sidney Poitier = Crap
Should have been titled "Cosby's Ghost Film Career". And to think Poitier directed this thing. It's a TV comedy skit gone wrong.
dismal... There's more preachiness here than in a hundred 'ABC Afterschool Specials,' and the special effects wouldn't pass muster on a local kiddie show.
Almost makes you forget how funny Bill Cosby can be.
All the characters are cardboard cutouts, the sentimental moments between pratfalls are very strained and even the special effects are sometimes gratuitous.
Audience Reviews for Ghost Dad
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Discussion Forum
What's Hot On RT
New Desolation of Smaug trailer!
Naomi Watts is Princess Di
Gravity sets new record
Trailer for a squirrely heist flick
See what's on TV tonight
Fresh Links
Featured
Halloween Movies For Wimps
Scary movies too scary for you? Here are some alternatives for October 31st.
10 Best Superhero TV Shows
HitFix combs through TV history to compile a superpowered list.
Ridiculous Movie Mistakes
RollingStone proves even the best movies miss a details here and there.
Deadly Movie Kids
Moviefone lists 11 Movie Kids Who Could Kick Our Asses.
50 States, 50 Movies
For July 4th, TimeOut has compiled 50 state-specific movie choices.
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter!
Spice up your feed with hourly Tomatometer updates!
Featured on RT
- NYFF: Joaquin Phoenix and James Gray talk The Immigrant 1
- Box Office Guru Wrapup: Gravity Stuns with Record $55M Launch 37
- Primetime Preview: Witches of East End, Once Upon a Time and More 2
- Weekly Ketchup: Disney Plans Live Action Cruella de Vil Movie 36
- Primetime Preview: Last Man Standing, The Neighbors and More 5
- Critics Consensus: Gravity is Certified Fresh 68
- Parental Guidance: Gravity and Parkland 3
Top Headlines
