Ghost Dad | Rotten Tomatoes

Ghost Dad

PG

1990

1 hr. 24 min.

Kids & Family

Fantasy

List

6%

32 Reviews

Tomatometer

32%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Elliot Hopper (Bill Cosby) is a widowed single dad who is utterly fixated on his family's financial well-being. He spends all his time working to secure a crucial business deal that would put his accounts in the black. However, this leaves his three children pining for his attention. After a fatal car accident, Hopper -- now a ghost -- must clinch the deal from the afterlife to secure his children's futures. Along the way, he discovers all the bonding he'd been missing when he was alive.

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Critics Consensus

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.

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Khalan C

One of Bill Cosby's worst movies, it insults the viewers intelligence with it's plot and laughs are very dry when it comes to the jokes. If you're looking for a good or even decent family film, you're in the wrong place

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

05/19/23

Full Review

StephenPaul C

The greatest 01 hour: and 24 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Starring William Henry Cosby, Jr.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/17/23

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michael k

This is glacially paced movie is good I think . There is no tiddies and it kine of sucksed. It say sidnay potter but I never see him in it…ok? One tomato. I wish I will give it more …next time-ato!!!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Red T

Terrible Editing as it feels like hijinks just happen to him once he's a ghost with no real flow. This also can't figure out if it wants to be a Ghost Story or a Family Comedy about a Single Dad trying to be a better father and the two don't mix at all. The cinematography actually is ok with well framed shots but its offset by dumb visual gag scenes and terrible ghost effects. The music is wonderfully dated late 80's pop songs but really it doesn't contribute much to the tone and is just generic overall. The pacing is subpar as the jokes work 5% of the time and the rest are terrible misses, toilet humor, or are predictable as anything. The only thing that helps is this is extremely short despite that, The acting by Cosby is terrible, he is too exaggerated and goofy to be taken seriously and too predictable to be taken comedically. The supporting cast is all just generic and forgettable. The scientist character is stupid and its amazingly lazy how he just figures out a cure offscreen and his father was a ghost also (TERRIBLE plot twist). This could have been a decent concept if it had tried to stick to a more serious tone for a supernatural story and a better lead. Honestly I can't recommend this to anyone besides people who are die hard Cosby fans and are curious. That's All.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Even though it's a little predictable and has some swiss cheese plotholes, there is a certain charm to it. Try to separate the artist from the daterape here.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The worst acting by William Henry Cosby, Jr.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

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Sidney Poitier

Director

Bill Cosby

Elliot Hopper

Kimberly Russell

Diane Hopper

Denise Nicholas

Joan

Ian Bannen

Sir Edith Moser

Salim Grant

Danny Hopper

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Peter Rainer

Los Angeles Times

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.

Rated: 1.5/5

May 21, 2013

Full Review

John Hartl

Seattle Times

Ghost Dad may be the dumbest major-studio movie of this none-too-bright summer.

Rated: 1.5/4

May 21, 2013

Full Review

Desmond Ryan

Philadelphia Inquirer

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.

Rated: 2/4

May 21, 2013

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

It's embarrassing to watch, due to how bad it is. [Full review in Spanish]

Nov 18, 2022

Full Review

Kathey Clarey

Fresno Bee

[The screenplay] veers all over the place from slapstick comedy to serious discussions to downright ickiness.

Aug 5, 2021

Full Review

Richard Freedman

Newhouse News Service

Even under the direction of so distinguished and experienced a movie man as Sidney Poitier, Ghost Dad simply doesn't shape up as a really professional entertainment.

Jan 5, 2018

Full Review

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Synopsis

Elliot Hopper (Bill Cosby) is a widowed single dad who is utterly fixated on his family's financial well-being. He spends all his time working to secure a crucial business deal that would put his accounts in the black. However, this leaves his three children pining for his attention. After a fatal car accident, Hopper -- now a ghost -- must clinch the deal from the afterlife to secure his children's futures. Along the way, he discovers all the bonding he'd been missing when he was alive.

Director: Sidney Poitier
Production Co: Universal Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: Kids & Family, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 24, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $20.9M
Sound Mix: Surround

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