Justin Chang

You could say that the ghost is played by the director, Steven Soderbergh, who serves as his own cinematographer, as usual. working under the pseudonym of Peter Andrews. That's Soderbergh holding the camera as it glides up and down the stairs, following the characters from room to room, and hovering over them as they try to figure out what's going on.

You could say that the ghost is played by the director, Steven Soderbergh, who serves as his own cinematographer, as usual. working under the pseudonym of Peter Andrews. That's Soderbergh holding the camera as it glides up and down the stairs, following the characters from room to room, and hovering over them as they try to figure out what's going on.

As the movie opens, Rebecca and Chris, played by Lucy Liu and Chris Sullivan, are about to move into a handsome, craftsman-style house with their two teenage children. The family dynamics are tense, and a little on the nose. Rebecca, a high-strung type who works in finance, clearly favors their popular, jockish son, Tyler.

As the movie opens, Rebecca and Chris, played by Lucy Liu and Chris Sullivan, are about to move into a handsome, craftsman-style house with their two teenage children. The family dynamics are tense, and a little on the nose. Rebecca, a high-strung type who works in finance, clearly favors their popular, jockish son, Tyler.

As the movie opens, Rebecca and Chris, played by Lucy Liu and Chris Sullivan, are about to move into a handsome, craftsman-style house with their two teenage children. The family dynamics are tense, and a little on the nose. Rebecca, a high-strung type who works in finance, clearly favors their popular, jockish son, Tyler.

Chris is the mellower spouse and parent, and he has a close bond with their daughter, Chloe, who's quieter and more withdrawn. Even as we get to know this foursome, though, the movie's most interesting and enigmatic character is the silent Spectre behind the camera. You keep asking yourself, who is this ghost, and what does it want? Is it the spirit of the house's previous owner?

Chris is the mellower spouse and parent, and he has a close bond with their daughter, Chloe, who's quieter and more withdrawn. Even as we get to know this foursome, though, the movie's most interesting and enigmatic character is the silent Spectre behind the camera. You keep asking yourself, who is this ghost, and what does it want? Is it the spirit of the house's previous owner?

Chris is the mellower spouse and parent, and he has a close bond with their daughter, Chloe, who's quieter and more withdrawn. Even as we get to know this foursome, though, the movie's most interesting and enigmatic character is the silent Spectre behind the camera. You keep asking yourself, who is this ghost, and what does it want? Is it the spirit of the house's previous owner?

Or is it someone else entirely who has some unspoken connection with the family? Before long, paranormal things start to happen. The ghost begins manifesting itself in physical ways, making the lights flicker and the walls rattle, or knocking a cup of juice to the floor. Initially, only Chloe, played by Kalina Liang, seems to notice these strange phenomena.

Or is it someone else entirely who has some unspoken connection with the family? Before long, paranormal things start to happen. The ghost begins manifesting itself in physical ways, making the lights flicker and the walls rattle, or knocking a cup of juice to the floor. Initially, only Chloe, played by Kalina Liang, seems to notice these strange phenomena.

Or is it someone else entirely who has some unspoken connection with the family? Before long, paranormal things start to happen. The ghost begins manifesting itself in physical ways, making the lights flicker and the walls rattle, or knocking a cup of juice to the floor. Initially, only Chloe, played by Kalina Liang, seems to notice these strange phenomena.

and she tries in vain to tell her parents and Tyler about what's happening. No, I haven't felt or sensed anything unusual here.

and she tries in vain to tell her parents and Tyler about what's happening. No, I haven't felt or sensed anything unusual here.

and she tries in vain to tell her parents and Tyler about what's happening. No, I haven't felt or sensed anything unusual here.

Tyler, played by Eddie Madej, is a bit of a hothead. He has little patience with his sister's anxieties, which, we soon learn, are tied to a recent tragedy involving one of her best friends. Presence isn't just an unsettling ghost story.

Tyler, played by Eddie Madej, is a bit of a hothead. He has little patience with his sister's anxieties, which, we soon learn, are tied to a recent tragedy involving one of her best friends. Presence isn't just an unsettling ghost story.

Tyler, played by Eddie Madej, is a bit of a hothead. He has little patience with his sister's anxieties, which, we soon learn, are tied to a recent tragedy involving one of her best friends. Presence isn't just an unsettling ghost story.

It's one of the more incisive recent movies I've seen about the inner lives of teenagers, whether it's their feelings of loneliness and disaffection, or their vulnerability to high school gossip, and worse. Eventually, Chloe begins dating Ryan, a friend of Tyler's, and there's a voyeuristic queasiness to the way the camera, which is to say the ghost, eavesdrops on their moments of intimacy.

It's one of the more incisive recent movies I've seen about the inner lives of teenagers, whether it's their feelings of loneliness and disaffection, or their vulnerability to high school gossip, and worse. Eventually, Chloe begins dating Ryan, a friend of Tyler's, and there's a voyeuristic queasiness to the way the camera, which is to say the ghost, eavesdrops on their moments of intimacy.

It's one of the more incisive recent movies I've seen about the inner lives of teenagers, whether it's their feelings of loneliness and disaffection, or their vulnerability to high school gossip, and worse. Eventually, Chloe begins dating Ryan, a friend of Tyler's, and there's a voyeuristic queasiness to the way the camera, which is to say the ghost, eavesdrops on their moments of intimacy.