Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- playful
- witty
- gentle
- family movie night
- halloween viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film technically impressive and intermittently charming, but meandering, overly sentimental, and weakened by thin direction and writing.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Casper's central relationship with Kat and the effort to help the ghosts cross over give the supernatural premise an emotionally conciliatory purpose.
The Harvey family moves into the gloomy mansion and shares it with Casper and his disruptive uncles.
The ghosts interact extensively with live performers through prominent 1990s computer-generated effects.
Carrigan's discovery of a map to hidden wealth drives the initial investigation of the mansion.
Films like Casper, and why
The Haunted Mansion
shared family-friendly supernatural comedy, haunted-house setting, slapstick ghosts, and warm themes of friendship and letting go
The Addams Family
shared macabre family fantasy, child protagonist, eccentric supernatural characters, and playful visual effects
Hocus Pocus
shared children’s fantasy adventure, mischievous supernatural creatures, comic peril, and emotional coming-of-age themes
The Monster Squad
shared friendly-monster premise, family comedy, colorful effects, and gentle treatment of loss and belonging
Movie Details
- Director
- Brad Silberling
- Release Date
- 1995-05-26
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (5066)
Cast
- Malachi Pearson
- Christina Ricci
- Bill Pullman
- Cathy Moriarty
- Eric Idle
- Joe Alaskey
- Joe Nipote
- Brad Garrett
- Devon Sawa
- Chauncey Leopardi
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Casper about?
- A lonely girl befriends a child ghost while her paranormal-expert father and a greedy heiress contend with a chaotic haunted mansion.
- What is Casper like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Casper as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Casper violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Casper.
- What did critics think of Casper?
- Critics broadly found the film technically impressive and intermittently charming, but meandering, overly sentimental, and weakened by thin direction and writing.
- Which films are like Casper?
- Films with a similar feel include The Haunted Mansion, The Addams Family, Hocus Pocus, and The Monster Squad.
- How long is Casper?
- Casper runs 100 minutes.
- Where can I watch Casper?
- In United States, Casper streams on Hulu, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus.
