A Useful Ghost
“A Useful Ghost” (2025) is a Thai fantasy-comedy-drama that blends elements of romance, horror, and political satire, marking the feature debut of director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke. The film centers on March, a widower whose deceased wife, Nat, returns as a ghost inhabiting a vacuum cleaner. Their unconventional reunion sparks an absurd yet earnest love story that is met with familial and societal resistance. Beyond its comedic and romantic premise, the film delves into deeper themes of toxic pollution, soulless capitalism, and the erasure of historical memory, particularly in the context of Thailand's political past. It features prominent LGBTQ+ characters and themes, exploring marginalization and conditional acceptance through its narrative layers. The film has garnered critical acclaim, winning the Grand Prix at Cannes Critics' Week, and is intended for mature audiences due to its explicit sexual content, violence, and mature themes.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
HighLGBTQ+ themes and characters are central and explicitly portrayed throughout the film. The director, Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, intentionally uses the human-ghost relationship as an allegory for queer experiences, stating it is "inherently queer". The narrative includes several openly LGBTQ+ characters and explores societal homophobia and conditional acceptance of same-sex relationships.
The film features March's gay brother and his Australian husband, whose relationship is initially accepted by the family only due to financial profit, highlighting conditional acceptance. Another prominent character is a self-described "Academic Ladyboy" who frames the main narrative, and who experiences an instant, sizzling, and satisfyingly resolved connection with a repairman. The film also includes "several gay sex scenes" which are explicitly mentioned in reviews.
Violence
HighThe film contains explicit and implied violence, serving both comedic and serious purposes. It depicts physical confrontations, state-sanctioned violence, and medical procedures used coercively, with an increasing intensity towards the third act.
The film features an "eruption of violence that comes across as a satisfying punchline" in its third act, including "cartoonishly violent vengeance". March is subjected to electroshock treatments by his family to sever his connection with Nat, which the director explicitly parallels to historical "conversion" therapies for "sexually deviant" people. Additionally, the film deals with the real-life deadly 2010 military crackdown in Thailand, where over 90 people were killed, with a minister attempting to erase the memory of these events and related dissident ghosts.
Romance and Sexual Content
HighRomantic and sexual content is a significant and explicit aspect of the film, central to its plot and often portrayed in an absurd and transgressive manner. The film features both heterosexual and homosexual intimate acts.
The core of the story involves March's intimate relationship with his deceased wife Nat, who possesses a vacuum cleaner, including scenes of "making out with a vacuum" and March "copulating with an electrical appliance". Reviews explicitly state the film includes "several gay sex scenes". The film is described as an "absurdist sex comedy" early in its narrative.
Witchcraft & Occult
HighWitchcraft and occult themes are fundamental to the film's premise and narrative, featuring ghosts, spirits, possession, and exorcisms as central plot devices.
The entire premise revolves around Nat, a deceased wife, returning as a ghost to possess a vacuum cleaner. The plot involves Nat proving her usefulness by helping to cleanse a factory of other "vengeful spirits" or "useless ghosts" of workers who died unfairly. A band of monks also attempts to banish the ghost, highlighting spiritual practices, even if portrayed comically or negatively.
Profanity
MediumThe film includes strong profanity, with at least one explicit derogatory term used by religious figures, indicating a moderate to high level of offensive language.
A scene depicts a band of monks swarming Nat (in vacuum form) and calling her a "thick cunt" while attempting to banish her. This specific instance confirms the use of strong, derogatory language in the film.
Scary & Intense Content
MediumThe film contains elements of horror and suspense, including supernatural hauntings, disturbing imagery, and psychologically intense situations related to political violence and memory erasure, which can be frightening or distressing for viewers.
The film features "haunted" appliances and "vengeful spirits" that disturb the living, creating an eerie and suspenseful atmosphere. Scenes depicting March undergoing electroshock therapy, an intense and historically traumatic treatment, are present, drawing parallels to real-world conversion therapy. The film also deals with the "deliciously menacing" political satire of state-sanctioned memory erasure, referencing a deadly military crackdown which could be emotionally intense.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumDisrespect and rebellion are prominent themes, primarily expressed through challenges to societal norms, familial expectations, and governmental authority. Characters actively defy traditional structures and express discontent with established powers.
March's family initially rejects his "inter-human-ghost-vacuum relationship", viewing it as a detriment, demonstrating familial disapproval of unconventional choices. The film highlights rebellion allegorically, where the return of ghosts is framed as "an act of protest" against the state's efforts to erase historical memory, particularly concerning the 2010 military crackdown. March's gay brother faces initial disapproval from aunts and uncles for his relationship.
Substance Use
LowNo explicit mentions of substance use such as alcohol, drugs, or smoking were found in the available reviews and summaries of "A Useful Ghost (2025)". The focus of the film's social commentary lies elsewhere.
Based on the comprehensive search, there is no specific evidence or detailed descriptions of characters engaging in alcohol consumption, drug use, smoking, or addressing addiction as a plot point or recurring theme.
Anti-Christian Themes
LowWhile the film critiques religious and societal authority figures, particularly Thai Buddhist monks, no explicit anti-Christian themes or mockery of Christian beliefs were found. The criticisms appear to be directed at general religious hypocrisy or dogmatism within the film's cultural context (Thailand, which is predominantly Buddhist).
A scene involves a "band of monks" who swarm Nat (in her vacuum form) and use profanity while attempting to banish her, which can be seen as a critique of religious authority figures. However, this scene specifically targets Buddhist monks within a Thai context and does not contain direct anti-Christian sentiment or imagery.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
The content of "A Useful Ghost (2025)" is recommended for audiences aged 18 and older. This recommendation is based on the presence of explicit sexual content, including several gay sex scenes and scenes depicting intimacy between a human and a ghost-possessed vacuum cleaner, graphic language, and themes of political violence, including electroshock therapy and depictions of state-sanctioned memory erasure. The film's complex themes and mature depictions make it unsuitable for younger viewers.
Additional Notes
"A Useful Ghost (2025)" is a highly allegorical film that uses its fantastical premise to comment on complex sociopolitical issues in Thailand, including class, pollution, state violence, and the LGBTQ+ experience. Its unique blend of genres means that comedic elements often accompany darker, more serious themes. The film's primary focus on queer relationships and political commentary, rather than lighthearted entertainment, should be a key consideration for parents.
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