Ismael's Ghosts

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Ismael's Ghosts

R

2017

1h 54m

Drama

Romance

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

51%

Tomatometer

78 Reviews

28%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Twenty-one years ago, she ran away -- and 21 years later, Carlotta is back from the void. But Ismael has been busy rebuilding a life for himself with Sylvia and working on his next movie. As Ismael's trials and tribulations unfurl, so too do those of his film's protagonist -- the idle, funny and reckless diplomat Ivan Dédalus.

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Critics Consensus

Ismael's Ghosts unites an excellent cast -- and their valiant efforts are often enough to counter its somewhat confused and disjointed story.

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J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

Apr 17, 2020

Unfortunately all the metafictional layering only highlights the lack of engagement at the center of the story, the three stars acting up a storm but barely acknowledging each other.

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Charlotte O'Sullivan

London Evening Standard

Jun 9, 2018

2/5

Marion Cotillard and Charlotte Gainsbourg momentarily bring verve to proceedings.

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Donald Clarke

Irish Times

Jun 8, 2018

2/5

Decked out in the classy colours of the high-end French art film, Ismael's Ghosts is probably easier to enjoy if you make no attempt to fit its disjointed units together.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Apr 26, 2025

It’s raw and funny and angry and loving, with rich and complex characters and relationships ...

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Andrew Gaudion

THN

Aug 30, 2020

2/5

The film, like Ismael, cannot escape its own self-indulgent tendencies, leading to an experience that never coalesces into something that feels all that insightful, despite some fine acting and moments of wit and mystery.

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Matt Cipolla

Film Monthly

Jul 23, 2020

2.5/5

Ismael's Ghosts is several movies each with their own merits, but that doesn't mean that they coexist amicably.

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M D

@mdali6 May 9, 2026

This film was laughably bad. So much emotion with no grounded story. A gorgeous wife and daughter who was missing for 21 years and returns looking like she's been living in a spa for all of that time with almost no accountability. A film within a film that doesn't let you know until a third of the way through. The lead actor "director"who constantly drinks, almost never sleeps, shoots his producer friend in the arm and it's treated like a joke. Characters with no understanding of their motivations. This was a cartoon-stereotype of a French film. I laughed at the end because the whole mess was so empty and silly at the same time.

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Nov 4, 2020

In interesting examination of a mental unraveling by the leads; almost a throwback to previous era of films as realism is not the primary concern

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Jul 5, 2018

From the spy thriller to the love triangle, from the existential drama in the best traditions of French cinema to the farce comedy - this appears before us a new Desplechin. Think i have to watch one more time using boxxy software to understand what it was :D

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Mar 25, 2018

Unwatchable - avoid by all means!

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Mar 23, 2018

Tasteless compendium of corny melodramatic tricks

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Mar 23, 2018

I did my best to stay but left after an hour. There were several stories going on and it was very slow and disconnected. 2/10 at best.

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Arnaud Desplechin

Director

Mathieu Amalric

Ismaël Vuillard

Marion Cotillard

Carlotta Bloom

Charlotte Gainsbourg

Sylvia

Louis Garrel

Ivan Dedalus

Alba Rohrwacher

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Synopsis

Twenty-one years ago, she ran away -- and 21 years later, Carlotta is back from the void. But Ismael has been busy rebuilding a life for himself with Sylvia and working on his next movie. As Ismael's trials and tribulations unfurl, so too do those of his film's protagonist -- the idle, funny and reckless diplomat Ivan Dédalus.

Director: Arnaud Desplechin
Producer: Pascal Caucheteux
Screenwriter: Arnaud Desplechin, Léa Mysius, Julie Peyr
Production Co: Why Not Productions
Rating: R (Language|Brief Strong Violence|Sexuality|Some Graphic Nudity)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 3, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $102.3K
Runtime: 1h 54m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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