Directed by Mike Ahern and Edna Loughman
Written by Mike Ahern, Edna Loughman with additional writing by Demian Fox and Maeve Higgins
Starring Maeve Higgins, Barry Ward, Will Forte and Claudia O’Doherty
Running time 1 hour and 34minutes
MPAA rating for language, sexual content and some horror violence

by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport

“Do ghosts have feelings?”

When it comes to my future life as a ghost, I have a lot of questions.

To understand the seriousness of this situation, it is best to understand my mind and, in order to do that, one should view the Charles Chaplin film Modern Times. My head is a home to a tiny person who controls the main circuitry board. They are responsible for pushing all the buttons, pulling the levers and holding my clipboard of concerns.

Will the last clothes that I wear be my forever ghosting clothes?
The location that I bite the dust - will that be my new permanent home?
Will I still be able to go to the cinema?

Unfortunately, after viewing the quirky, fun flick Extra Ordinary, I left with more questions than answers. However, it did manage to make one thing clear: Ghosts, well they were once just like us.

Extra Ordinary tells the story of a demure, lovable, lonesome, Irish driving school instructor in her late thirties named Rose Dooley (Maeve Higgins) that happens to have a gift of connecting with those that have found themselves on the other side. Sadly, after a paranormal mishap involving her father, Rose does not partake in the land of the supernatural. That is, until she meets Martin Martin (Barry Ward). Martin has a bit of a possession problem. His daughter seems to have caught the interest of a local satanist/kaput rock star, Christian Winter (Will Forte) and has now found herself asleep, floating in her bedroom, awaiting a planned ritual to occur during the blood moon. As one of the characters puts it, Martin’s daughter has unfortunately found herself as the sacrificial goat - and is therefore “gloating”.

As in most small towns, no one’s past is buried. Under a ruse of needing driving lessons, Martin makes a call to Rose out of desperation, to not only help him with the problem of his daughter, but he also has some martial problems too: his dead wife won’t leave the house. This character driven story manages to pack a lot into a very swift runtime. Each role seemed to be created and crafted thoughtfully and I adored the performances greatly. From the actors’ wardrobe and demeanor on screen to their individual eccentricities, it made for a hilarious story and a fun time at the cinema.

This is a ghost story, of sorts, that manages to utilize humor in all the right ways to make for some ridiculous and downright absurd moments. For all the silly and peculiar moments though, the movie does manage to weave in a touch of seriousness. At the heart of it, Extra Ordinary shows the importance of friendship and how one uniquely deals with the grieving process. It also checks the box when it comes to appropriate use of nostalgia. I don’t want to give too much away, but when a witch’s scrunchie is used as part of an incantation, count me in. I am also here for any recreation footage of infomercials that feature a Robert Stackesque person, advertising a business of ghost finding. More VHS tapes in movies please.

In watching this flick, I think you will have a hard time not having a sense of delight and amusement by the time the credits roll.

In select theaters starting March 6th, find tickets here.