Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- irreverent
- whimsical
- campy movie night
- halloween viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the supernatural romantic comedy over-the-top but uneven, with its eccentric Irish setting and cast unable to overcome a weak execution.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The haunted castle setup combines staged scares, real ghosts, broad performances, and romantic complications.
Jack falls in love with the ghost Mary and attempts to pursue a relationship across the boundary between life and death.
Peter Plunkett invents a haunted-castle tourist experience to prevent foreclosure, only to encounter genuine supernatural inhabitants.
The film centers on an Irish castle hotel, Irish characters, and a broad comic treatment of local ghost lore.
Films like High Spirits, and why
The Fearless Vampire Killers
shared over-the-top haunted-house comedy, supernatural romance, and playful genre spoofing
Beetlejuice
shared irreverent ghost comedy, eccentric ensemble, and affectionate supernatural romance
The Canterville Ghost
shared lighthearted haunted-location premise, broad comedy, and human-spirit romantic tension
Movie Details
- Director
- Neil Jordan
- Release Date
- 1988-11-18
- Runtime
- 99 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (253)
Cast
- Peter O'Toole
- Daryl Hannah
- Steve Guttenberg
- Beverly D'Angelo
- Jennifer Tilly
- Liam Neeson
- Peter Gallagher
- Martin Ferrero
- Donal McCann
- Liz Smith
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, ScreenPix Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, ScreenPix Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is High Spirits about?
- A cash-strapped Irish castle owner stages fake hauntings for tourists, only to discover that genuine ghosts—and an impossible romance—await inside.
- What is High Spirits like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of High Spirits as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is High Spirits violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in High Spirits as mild.
- What did critics think of High Spirits?
- Critics broadly found the supernatural romantic comedy over-the-top but uneven, with its eccentric Irish setting and cast unable to overcome a weak execution.
- Which films are like High Spirits?
- Films with a similar feel include The Fearless Vampire Killers, Beetlejuice, and The Canterville Ghost.
- How long is High Spirits?
- High Spirits runs 99 minutes.
- Where can I watch High Spirits?
- In United States, High Spirits streams on Amazon Prime Video, ScreenPix Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, ScreenPix Amazon Channel .
