A USEFUL GHOST
(director/writer: Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke; cinematographer: Pasit Tandaechanurat; editor: Choniasit Upanigkit; cast: Davika Hoorne (Nat), Wisarut Hammarat (March), Wanlop Rungkumjad (Krong), Apasari Nitibhon (Suman), Wisarut Homhuan (Academic Ladyboy), Thifyanan Phoungbut (Mother), Kritten Thongmai (Tok), Wachara Kanha (Pin), Gandhi Wasuvitchayagit (Dr. Paul), Katanyu Swangsri (Mos), Dhyan Ho (Ted); Runtime: 130; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Cattleya Paosrijeroen, Soros Sukhum; JHR Films; 2025-Thailand/Singapore/Germany/France in Thai, English, Lao)
“It depicts things in a real way despite its story being off the wall.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Thai filmmaker Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke makes his feature film directorial debut a curious one with this playful and inventive arthouse ghost story about a spirit that possesses a vacuum cleaner. The surreal film sets a haunting mood over Thailand’s recent dark history.
Nat (Davika Hoorne, a popular Thai actress) is a young deceased woman, who died from dust poison in the appliance factory managed by her husband March (Wisarut Hammarat). His widowed mom Suman (Apasari Nitibhon) is the factory owner, who never cared much for Nat–not thinking she was deserving of her son.
March’s dead wife returns from the otherworld as a ghost in a vacuum cleaner to protect her gay son from those who are homophobic and to show hubby’s family she can be a useful ghost.
The handsome flirty factory repairman Krong (Wanlop Rungkumjad) fixes the broken vacuum cleaner, possessed by a ghost, and tells the owner March a tale about Academic Ladyboy (Wisarut Homhuan) and a ghost embedded in his vacuum cleaner.
The story is meant as an allegory on the poor way that Thai society treat its queers.
March eagerly accepts his wife Nat back as a useful ghost, who cleanses the factory of its dirt and rids throughout Thailand its wandering useless spirits. Nat encourages the population to believe in the ghosts who can save the country from its past wrongs.
The unique esoteric film makes a political statement about Thailand being under authoritarian rule for much of its modern history. It presents a black comedy that mixes quirky comical moments with serious issues, depicting things in a real way despite its story being off the wall.
It played at the Cannes Film Festival.
REVIEWED ON 12/19/2025 GRADE: B
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