The overwhelming nature of grief and the inability to let go of those who have passed on is universal. Not as relatable is that weight twisted into a hilariously morbid narrative: a child lost to a ritual sacrifice at the hands of a washed-up Christian rock star who has made a deal with the devil for one more shot at stardom. You know, that old chestnut. “Extra Ordinary”— the debut film from Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman — takes nearly every heavy ghost and exorcism film impeded with bereavement, and flips them on their heads with humor and ingenuity to spare, which more than makes up for the times when the film gets away from them.
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The sufferers of said overwhelming mourning are Rose Dooley (Maeve Higgins) and Martin Martin (Barry Ward). Rose is a lonely cab driver with a special gift for communicating with the deceased, but has shelved the ability after an accident led to the death of her father Vincent (Risteard Cooper), who was the host of a series of popular VHS tapes regarding paranormal investigations. Martin is a widower, figuratively haunted by his deceased wife Bonnie, who leaves him helpful reminders throughout the day, such as a reminder to pay taxes. These hauntings have alienated his daughter Sarah (Emma Coleman), who urges him to get some counseling. He seeks help in the form of Rose, and the two of them begin to work through their personal demons and take their lives back. But, in the midst of personal crises, fading one-hit-wonder Christian Winter (Will Forte)— known for a Barry White-esque hit called “Cosmic Woman”— is searching for a virgin to sacrifice at the eve of the blood moon to reclaim his fame, and has set his sights on Sarah.
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The filmmakers wisely establish upfront that ghosts exist in the world of “Extra Ordinary,” and all the characters accept this as fact. It eliminates the standard crutch of a ghost film— the initial skepticism shattered by an event that inspires awe, terror, or both—and allows the audience to relish every gag that humorously plays with the conventions of the sub-genre (most specifically, a hilarious recurring gag involving ectoplasm). This also gives a talented comedic cast permission to let loose with a madcap sense of energy that is intoxicating. Higgins and Ward have easy chemistry and trade whip-smart exchanges in such quick succession that it’s impressive the banter never runs out of gas. The same goes for a deliciously over-the-top performance from Forte, who channels the same unpredictable, surrealist aura from his “Fortin’ With Will” sketch, among others, from “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” He chews the scenery in every delightful moment.
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Speaking of “Tim and Eric,” there’s often a sense with “Extra Ordinary” that it feels like an Adult Swim surrealist piece that somehow escaped Cartoon Network and snuck into a movie theater. That’s not necessarily a knock, given how idiosyncratic and consistently funny the film is. However, if there is a negative effect, it’s that the film is so heightened in its farcical nature that nothing really feels dramatically rooted. Grief and loss is certainly an opening launching pad for the film, but every time the film feels like it is peeling back an emotional layer for one of these characters, it’s immediately undercut by a joke. These scenes play out not unlike the moment in “Gremlins 2: The New Batch” where Phoebe Cates goes to tell another horrific personal story akin to the original movie and the rest of the cast interrupts her and says, “We don’t have time for this!” The difference is that Dante’s wacky film is an intentional bridge-burning lark. Despite the playfulness with the ghost movie conventions, there’s nothing to infer that “Extra Ordinary” is that kind of parody, so without a grounded interest— especially when the climax reaches the height of the film’s absurdism— we’re left with little to grasp onto outside of the laughs.
Fortunately for “Extra Ordinary,” the well-aimed hilarity hits often. Ahern and Loughman have proven impressive in establishing comedic tone and building-up and paying-off jokes, which is no small feat with a first feature. One wishes “Extra Ordinary” elicited more feeling given the subject matter, but coming out of the film with a face that hurts from laughing is compensation enough. A promising and exciting debut, whatever Ahern and Loughman attempt next will be much anticipated, but in the meantime, there’s one important question left: when can we pre-order Forte’s “Cosmic Woman” single on vinyl? [B]
