Review of Ghost of My Father

In Anthony Z. James' low-key British drama, Anthony Mark Streeter plays Tony Ward, a grizzled ex-con his first day of freedom struggles to reconnect with his estranged wife (Emmy Happisburgh) and conflicted son (Nathan Hamilton) before his violent past catches up with them. Slickly shot in guerilla-fashion using an iPhone 8, this moody, London-set drama is an absorbing watch. While its slow burn pacing may test some audiences, the film rewards its viewers with a satisfying experience, thanks to its familiar yet solid writing and direction. Focusing more on the father and son relationship of the two main characters, the film, the film spends more time in letting the audience invest on these poor fellows and how they'll be able to fix the broken ties between them. This is further boosted by the nuanced performances of Streeter and Hamilton, along with some fine work from Russell Barnett who plays Tony's old pal who holds a grudge on him. Despite a few technical lapses involving the audio aspects and some shots where the camera man is visible on reflective surfaces, the film excels thanks to its focused storytelling and brilliant acting, not to mention its artful cinematography.