Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- playful
- surreal
- witty
- arthouse movie night
- international cinema night
What critics said
Critics broadly celebrate the film as a highly original, refreshing genre-bender with a distinctive directorial voice.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The spirit possesses a vacuum cleaner, turning an ordinary household machine into the film's central supernatural agent.
The keywords and premise connect the mischievous haunting to Thai political history and protest culture.
The film explicitly foregrounds queer themes, a ladyboy character, and queer-coded elements within its fantastical comedy.
Critics specifically describe the film as a refreshing genre-bender and an unusually offbeat comedy-drama-fantasy.
Films like A Useful Ghost, and why
The Green Butchers
playful supernatural satire, queer subtext, and inventive genre blending
The Host
darkly comic spirit story using fantasy to examine social and political tensions
Rigor Mortis
eccentric supernatural comedy with mischievous tonal shifts and emotional family drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke
- Release Date
- 2025-08-27
- Runtime
- 130 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (47)
Cast
- Davika Hoorne
- Witsarut Himmarat
- Apasiri Nitibhon
- Wanlop Rungkumjad
- Wisarut Homhuan
- Gandhi Wasuvitchayagit
- Ornanong Thaisriwong
- Kritpahat Srimangkornkaew
- Katanyu Swangsri
- Dhyan Ho
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Philo, Hoopla, Fandor Amazon Channel, Screambox Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Midnight Pulp Amazon Channel
- 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 A Useful Ghost about?
- A mischievous ghost inhabiting a vacuum cleaner unsettles a Thai family while turning domestic absurdity into queer political satire.
- What is A Useful Ghost like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of A Useful Ghost as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is A Useful Ghost violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in A Useful Ghost.
- What did critics think of A Useful Ghost?
- Critics broadly celebrate the film as a highly original, refreshing genre-bender with a distinctive directorial voice.
- Which films are like A Useful Ghost?
- Films with a similar feel include The Green Butchers, The Host, and Rigor Mortis.
- How long is A Useful Ghost?
- A Useful Ghost runs 130 minutes.
- Where can I watch A Useful Ghost?
- In United States, A Useful Ghost streams on Amazon Prime Video, Philo, Hoopla, Fandor Amazon Channel, Screambox Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Midnight Pulp Amazon Channel.
