Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- wistful
- intimate
- dreamy
- romantic movie night
- quiet evening
What critics said
Critics found the magical-realist premise imaginative and intelligent, while broadly faulting the film for sentimentality, thin characterization, and an overextended story.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Holly becomes physically invisible after a tragic loss, turning her feelings of insignificance into the film’s central fantasy mechanism.
Shayne is the one man who can see Holly, making perception and mutual acknowledgment the foundation of their relationship.
Holly uses her invisibility to move unseen and expose other people’s lies while searching for a way back into ordinary life.
The film presents Holly’s isolation and possible recovery through magical-realist imagery rather than conventional realism.
Films like Above the Shadows, and why
The Invisible Man
magical realism, romantic connection, and emotionally wounded protagonists
The Lake House
fantasy romance built around isolation, visibility, and human connection
Just Like Heaven
whimsical supernatural premise paired with grief, romance, and personal healing
The Time Traveler's Wife
romantic fantasy about emotionally isolated people finding mutual recognition
Movie Details
- Director
- Claudia Myers
- Release Date
- 2019-05-31
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (203)
Cast
- Olivia Thirlby
- Alan Ritchson
- Jim Gaffigan
- Maria Dizzia
- Megan Fox
- Tito Ortiz
- David Johansen
- Justine Cotsonas
- Pawel Szajda
- Owen Campbell
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- 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 Above the Shadows about?
- After grief makes her literally invisible, a lonely young woman finds a possible path back to life through the only man who can perceive her.
- What is Above the Shadows like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Above the Shadows as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Above the Shadows violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Above the Shadows as mild.
- What did critics think of Above the Shadows?
- Critics found the magical-realist premise imaginative and intelligent, while broadly faulting the film for sentimentality, thin characterization, and an overextended story.
- Which films are like Above the Shadows?
- Films with a similar feel include The Invisible Man, The Lake House, Just Like Heaven, and The Time Traveler's Wife.
- How long is Above the Shadows?
- Above the Shadows runs 111 minutes.
- Where can I watch Above the Shadows?
- In United States, Above the Shadows streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
