Awesomely Horrible Netflix Instant Films: “Ghost Dad”

Bill Cosby is without a doubt one of the greatest influences in the history of both American comedy and television. The Cosby Show ran for ten years and defined the modern American family sit-com. Not to mention his stand-up specials and albums like Himself, "Chocolate cake? For breakfast!" That is some funny stuff. And yet...and yet...his movie career has been less stellar. His worst movie is without a doubt Leonard Part 6 but a close second is the wonderfully terrible Ghost Dad. The film basically asks, "What if Cliff Huxtable died?" Well, it ain't pretty.

Ghost Dad stars Cosby as Elliot, a workaholic widower that misses his kid's birthdays and is generally a bad parent. In this sense he is the un-Cliff. One day he takes a taxi driven by a Satanist, like you do, and assumes the persona of the Devil in order to command the driver to stop. Make sense? No. The satanist drives off a bridge and they both die. Cosby then slowly comes to realize he is a ghost when his phastasm body passes through the crotch of a fat lady in a passing car. He finds out from a paranormal investigator that he has three days to set everything right before he goes to heaven. So, many wacky adventures ensue where he finally steps up to being a good father, a good boyfriend to his love interest, and keep his job. Then it turns out he wasn't dead at all but in a coma. Now, come here and give me a szerbert!

Who on Earth could have directed such a piece of crap? Sidney Poitier. Yes, THAT Sidney Poitier. I'm not entirely sure what happens to Cosby when he agrees to make films. How can someone who gets it so right on the small screen screw it up so badly on film? It just goes to show that some people are meant for certain formats. Still, Ghost Dad has a definite charm to it. Even if it is silly and kind of schlocky, there is no denying Cosby's charm. Watch it this Halloween with a big bowl of Jell-O Pudding, pud!