Lately, there seems to be a surge of films exploring the complexities of damaged family dynamics. From Red One, where an estranged father and son reconnect while teaming up to save Santa, to Armand, where a mother grapples with horrific accusations against her son, the theme of familial struggle and reconciliation is taking center stage.
As award season approaches, it’s clear that stories delving into the emotional and moral challenges within families are striking a chord with filmmakers and audiences, alike.
I’ve found myself deeply drawn to these films, as their dramatized portrayal of how families navigate triumphs and tragedies strikes a personal chord with me. As a single dad, I face my own set of challenges, and in my most difficult moments, I sometimes wonder if I’m alone in feeling this way. These movies offer a sense of refuge, showing how others — even in a fictional context — grapple with struggles equal to or greater than my own.
Watching these stories unfold is therapeutic, providing a sense of solidarity and offering hope just when it’s needed most.
I had the opportunity to watch Ghostlight, a film directed by Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson. The story follows Dan Mueller (Keith Kupferer), a construction worker grappling with the devastating loss of his son, Brian, who recently died by suicide. Alongside his wife, Sharon (Tara Mallen), and daughter, Daisy (Katherine Mallen Kupferer), Dan struggles to navigate the overwhelming grief that has upended their lives.
Everything changes when Dan has a chance encounter with Rita (Dolly de Leon), an actress at a local community theater. Encouraged by their meeting, Dan joins Rita’s production of Romeo and Juliet, stepping into the role of Lord Capulet. While this new endeavor creates tension at home, it ultimately becomes a transformative experience for Dan, offering him a path toward healing and peace in the wake of tragedy.
Losing a child is an unimaginable tragedy no parent should have to endure. The pain is even more profound when that loss comes by the child’s own hand, leaving parents to grapple with feelings of failure and overwhelming guilt, questioning how their child could lose all hope. For Dan, this heartbreak became a personal reality when his son Brian died by suicide — a devastating parallel to Romeo’s fate in the play that Dan finds himself performing in.
Taking on the role of Lord Capulet, Romeo’s father, allows Dan to channel his grief in a way he had previously suppressed. Through the raw emotions of his performance, Keith renders a performance like no other. Dan confronts the sorrow he has long kept bottled up, releasing it in a deeply moving and cathartic moment.
The actors behind the Mueller family — Keith Kupferer, Tara Mallen and Katherine Mallen Kupferer — deserve high praise for their remarkable performances in Ghostlight. As previously highlighted, Keith delivers a masterful portrayal of Dan, embodying the raw, unfiltered emotions of a grieving father. Tara Mallen, playing Dan’s wife, gives an equally compelling performance, capturing the delicate balance of a woman striving to move forward while grappling with insecurity and the need for Dan to be her anchor. Her vulnerability shines through as she navigates deeply emotional twists and turns, missing her son and feeling that Dan is having an affair, due to his absence.
Katherine Mallen Kupferer is equally impressive as Daisy, initially presented as volatile and consumed by fits of rage. However, she evolves into a stabilizing force for the family, offering guidance to Ben in his stage performance and emotional support to her grieving mother. Together, the Mueller family crafts deeply relatable characters, drawing the audience into their pain and resilience, even as the story remains firmly rooted in fiction.
Ghostlight is a five-star masterpiece, delivering a poignant exploration of the impact suicide has on those left behind.
The heartbreak and sense of loss are so vividly portrayed that I found myself moved to tears by the deeply emotional performances of Keith Kupferer, Tara Mallen and Katherine Mallen Kupferer. When Dan finally releases the pain he has been carrying, it’s an intensely cathartic moment that allows viewers to share in his relief and healing.
Ghostlight exemplifies what films addressing such profound topics should strive for: it moves you, inspires resilience in the face of tragedy, and demonstrates the path to healing from the emotional burdens we all carry.