Most critics respond warmly to this intimate treatment of grief and a lover’s ghostly return, with praise clustering around Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman. Stevenson’s portrayal of bereavement gives the film much of its emotional credibility, while the leads’ performances help Anthony Minghella move between distress and comedy. The favourable reviews also value his dialogue and humane direction, finding wit and emotional honesty in a premise frequently compared with Ghost.
The spread is wide, and the disagreement centres on whether the supernatural humour sustains or weakens the treatment of loss. Empire admires the performances but finds that the ghosts undermine the seriousness. Time Out considers the bereavement metaphor overstretched and the tone cloying, despite the actors’ efforts. The New York Times is the clearest dissenter, finding the material sugary and smug rather than enchanting. Even the less enthusiastic reviews generally acknowledge the strength of the acting.