We Have a Ghost (2023):The Halloween Comedy That Makes Students Think About Fame, Compassion, and Who Gets Exploited for Clicks

This movie introduces students to questions about fame, attention, and what people are willing to exploit for money and clout, set against a story that treats compassion as more valuable than virality. It also explores what it means to really see someone, since the film's central relationship is built on patience and curiosity rather than fear. Those ideas sit inside a story that uses comedy and light horror to make a point about how families treat each other under pressure.

After the Presley family moves into a cheap fixer-upper in Chicago, teenage son Kevin discovers a ghost named Ernest living in the attic. While Kevin's father sees an opportunity to cash in by posting videos of Ernest online, Kevin instead works to uncover who Ernest was in life and how he died, so he can finally move on. As the videos go viral, the family draws the attention of a CIA paranormal division, and Kevin and Ernest go on the run to solve the mystery before Ernest is captured for study.

The wider value for a classroom sits in how the film contrasts two very different responses to the same discovery, one built on exploitation for personal gain, the other on genuine curiosity and care. It gives students a concrete, contemporary example for discussing how social media rewards spectacle over substance, and how easily a person, or a ghost, can become a headline instead of someone worth understanding.

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👻 Centers Compassion Over Fear. Kevin's response to finding a ghost in his attic is curiosity rather than panic, and that choice drives the entire story. Students see a clear example of empathy changing the outcome of a situation that could easily have gone another way.

📱 Satirizes Social Media Fame. Once Ernest's existence goes viral, the family's instinct to monetize him rather than help him becomes the movie's sharpest commentary. It gives students a vivid, current example of how quickly a private discovery can turn into public spectacle.

👨‍👦 Explores an Imperfect Father-Son Relationship. Kevin's father repeatedly puts his own ambitions ahead of his family, and the movie does not shy away from showing how that affects Kevin and his brother. Watching that tension play out gives students a grounded, relatable family dynamic to discuss.

🕵️ Builds a Genuine Mystery. Ernest cannot speak and does not remember how he died, so Kevin has to piece together his past using clues and outside help. The mystery structure keeps the plot moving and gives students something concrete to track and predict as it unfolds.

🎭 Blends Comedy, Horror, and Heart. The movie shifts between goofy set pieces, tense chase sequences, and a genuinely emotional resolution to Ernest's story. That range gives students a chance to talk about how a single movie can move between tones without losing its central idea.

🏛️ Raises Questions About Authority and Privacy. Once a government agency gets involved, the movie turns Ernest and the family into targets of surveillance and pursuit. It is a useful jumping off point for discussing how institutions respond when something unexplainable becomes public knowledge.

⚠️ Things to be aware of:

• Contains strong language throughout, including multiple uses of stronger swear words.
• Includes gun violence, a car chase, and a character who is killed off screen.
• Includes references to drinking and being drunk, along with a passing mention of a prescription medication.
• Includes brief teen kissing and some sexual references in dialogue, with nothing shown on screen.

🌟 Supporting All Learners A movie gives students a story to follow, and the guide gives them questions to work through as they watch. For students with autism, learning difficulties, and mild to severe disabilities, that combination provides a clear focus for the lesson and a concrete way to show understanding. The format can be useful in special education and learning support classrooms, where teachers need activities that give students a defined task during viewing. Find out more about why movies work for diverse learners.