Synopsis
Ghosted is a captivating blend of romantic action-comedy, released in 2023, under the direction of Dexter Fletcher. It merges high-octane thriller action with an unconventional love story. The film features Chris Evans and Ana de Armas in a genre mash-up that kicks off as a quirky romantic comedy and swiftly transitions into a whirlwind espionage adventure. With a screenplay by Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Chris McKenna, and Erik Sommers, Ghosted seeks to deliver humor and explosions concurrently.
The narrative centers around Cole Turner (Chris Evans), a likable but quirky and pathos-laden gentleman who runs a stall in a farmer’s market in Washington, DC. Sadie Rhodes (Ana de Armas), a captivating and enigmatic lady who frequents his stall, and Cole is instantly attracted to her. Cole goes all out with a romantic day and night and is left thinking that he is truly with ‘the one.’
guess why the captured never leave their emotions on the traveler
Sadie, however, seems to ghost him as he cannot reach her even through text and calls. Assuming truly that he is in a die scene of a romantic novel, in sheer desperation, and passion, and with the bent rules of romcoms, tracks her to London where he thinks it will be perfect for a romantic reunion. To his complete surprise, he ends up getting captured by arms dealers who mistake him to be a notorious CIA assassin called ‘the Taxman.’
Cole is thrown into the middle of an international kidnapping and assassination espionage story revolving around a bioweapon called ‘Aztec’ that has been declared severe threat. While things could not have gotten worse, he is saved by none other than Sadie – who in actual fact his a cia agent and is “the Taxman.” Post this Ghosted turns into a fantastic action combined with adventurous road trip full of bumpy riding in across several countries as the duo fumble and attempt to save the Aztec device from being seized.
As the action escalates, so does the tension between Cole and Sadie. The film shows how opposites attract: he’s a soft-spoken, romantic while she a hardened spy. Their relationship creates most of the thematic comedy and drama in the film even as they try to survive betrayals, evil villains, and dodging bullets across various multi-step action sequences.
In the end, Ghosted resolves its conflicts with a mix of action and romance. With the non-stop adventures they faced together, Cole demonstrates that he is not merely a needy man filled with feelings. On the other hand, Sadie discovers through these experiences that it is okay for her to love deeply and be vulnerable. In the final moments of the film, the couple opts to stay together despite their opposing lifestyles and decide to take on the madness of romance and spy action individually, rather than together.
Cast & Characters
Chris Evans features as Cole Turner, a spellbound man caught in the chaos who is refreshingly emotionally honest and vulnerable. Evans portrays one of his few roles as a man with an ordinary disposition who is faced with extraordinary circumstances, subverting his typical hero persona that relies heavily on action. That being said, he’s still captivating as an approachable hero; his superb comic timing and awkward earnestness makes the character jump out of the screen.
Ana de Armas portrays Sadie Rhodes, a CIA agent who keeps the world at an arm’s length due to her secretive nature. She grabs Evans’s attention once more after starring with him in Knives Out and The Gray Man. He notes that de Armas brought grit and physicality to the role, meeting demeaning demands of an action star and a cold woman simultaneously.
Adrien Brody is billed as the film’s sleek and over-the-top villain, Leveque. He is a French arms dealer with a taste for the theatrics set on a dubious a quest to secure the Aztec device for some underhanded international exploits. Brody paints the character with menace and elegance, though the character does feel a little undercooked.
Supporting Cast: Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, and John Cho all appear for one or two short scenes as rival bounty hunters. These actors, who are known from other roles, mostly serve a horological purpose in the film and from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While their performance in the film is limited, their role in shaping the audience’s understanding of characters and their deeper relevance is substantial.
Crew & Creative Vision
Dexter Fletcher, who directed Rocketman and Eddie the Eagle, adds his trademark polish and energy to the film. Fletcher maintains a fast and visually arresting pace with bright color palettes and elaborate action choreography that accentuates the adventure.
Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Deadpool, Zombieland) alongside Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers (Spider-Man: No Way Home) crafted the screenplay infused with sharp self-deprecating wit and humor. The writing is packed with quips, action clichés, and emotionally charged moments intended to both satirize and celebrate the romance and spy genres.
For a genre-hybrid like this, Lorne Balfe’s score provides the necessary sweeping emotional backdrop, switching from romantic swells to adrenaline pumping beats.
Cinematography: Salvatore Totino, who has worked on large-scale projects such as Spider-Man: Homecoming, gives the film a glossy, blockbuster sheen with vibriant location shots and slick action sequences.
Reception & Ratingsn
Critically, Ghosted has received a mixed reception, with audiences generally split about the execution. While many praised the charisma and chemistry of Chris Evans and Ana de Armas, many were critiquing the inconsistency of tone and genre blending.
Currently, the movie averages a 5.8 out of 10 on several review sites, with critics noting the advantages and disadvantages as follows:
Advantages:
Enjoyable chemistry and strong lead performances.
High stylistic visuals and production value.
Self-referential humor and clever genre awareness.
Middle section accompanies action sequences that are engaging.
Disadvantages:
Weak and overly predictable at times plot with some key elements missing.
Blending of romance and action creates tonal inconsistencies.
Emotional arcs are rushed alongside an undeveloped villain.
It is laden with clichés and overused fan service cameos.
Despite not reinventing the genre nor achieving the standards set by classic romcoms or spy thrillers, Ghosted is beneficial for fans of mixed-genre films as it offers an enjoyable and swift pacing coupled with light-hearted espionage that is a departure from the typical grim theme.
Conclusion
Ghosted (2023) is a film that is part Mr & Mrs Smith, part Romance: The Stone and part Mission: Impossible. With Chris Evans and Ana de Armas, it has gotten star power that oversells the print of the movie, a high-energy romantic action comedy with spy-ish themes. Though there are some blunders throughout blending the genres smoothly, shouldering narrative inconsistencies, lacking energy, and tons of fun, the shining influences make up for the shortcomings.
Ghosted covers a wide variety of genre including romance, comedy and action. Even though it may not receive the critics praise, for viewers searching for compelling action, dynamic performances, and an overall good time, this film is a light watch which is not too heavy or complex.
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