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Fantasy drama

A Useful Ghost (2025): Cast, Ratings & Plot

A Useful Ghost (2025) movie poster

A Useful Ghost is a 2025 fantasy drama directed by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, starring Davika Hoorne as Nat, Witsarut Himmarat and Wanlop Rungkumjad. It runs 2 hours 10 minutes. Critics gave it 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, and IMDb users rate it 6.7/10.

IMDb rating
6.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes
88%
Echo Score
87
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A Useful Ghost (2025) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 10m (130 min)
Genres
Fantasy , Comedy , Drama
Original language
Thai
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is A Useful Ghost About?

The premise of A Useful Ghost without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

March mourns his wife Nat, who died from dust pollution. Her spirit returns, inhabiting a vacuum cleaner. When a ghost appears after a worker’s death forces the factory to shut, March’s family rejects the human‑ghost bond. To prove their love, Nat offers to cleanse the plant, but to become a useful ghost she must first rid it of the useless ones.

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Cast & crew

A Useful Ghost Cast & Characters

Davika Hoorne leads the cast as Nat, with Witsarut Himmarat as March and Wanlop Rungkumjad as Krong. Directed by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke; 18 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke

More films directed by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, best-rated first: A Useful Ghost and Red Aninsri; Or, Tiptoeing on the Still Trembling Berlin Wall.

Full filmography
Ratings

A Useful Ghost Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave A Useful Ghost 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, and IMDb users rate it 6.7/10. Our Echo Score gives it 87/100, strongest in art & craft (92) and weakest in story & flow (81).

87 /100

A Useful Ghost Echo Score Breakdown

A Useful Ghost delivers a boldly imaginative experience that fuses dark comedy with thoughtful social commentary. Critics highlight the film's inventive premise, where everyday objects become vessels for ghostly narratives, and note its capacity to balance absurdity with emotional depth. The consensus points to a compelling blend of originality, visual inventiveness, and resonant themes, making the work stand out in contemporary genre cinema. Overall, the film is regarded as a high‑quality, memorable addition to the ghost‑story canon.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 92

    In terms of direction and visual craft, reviewers commend the director's daring vision and refined aesthetic choices. The production design, especially the portrayal of talking appliances, is described as inventive and purposeful. Cinematography and editing are noted for their measured pacing that supports the film’s tonal shifts. Together these elements create a cohesive and distinctive visual style that underpins the film’s unconventional narrative.

  • Character & Emotion 86

    When it comes to character and emotional resonance, critics observe nuanced performances that convey grief, romance, and righteous anger. The vacuum cleaner’s anthropomorphic role is praised for its oddly refined execution, while the human cast delivers depth within an absurd framework. Chemistry among characters is noted as matter‑of‑fact yet effective, allowing the audience to connect with the underlying emotional currents despite the fantastical setting.

  • Story & Flow 81

    The story is recognized for its originality and willingness to blend disparate genres. While some reviewers mention jarring tonal shifts, they also acknowledge that the narrative navigates these transitions deftly. Plot coherence is maintained through a focus on themes of grief and societal critique, and pacing is described as measured enough to sustain engagement. Overall, the screenplay is seen as inventive and largely successful in its ambitious scope.

  • Sensory Experience 84

    Sensory experience receives strong praise for its deadpan humor and distinctive auditory motifs, especially the sounds associated with haunted appliances. Visual style is highlighted as understated yet effective, reinforcing the uncanny atmosphere. Sound design complements the film’s tonal balance, enhancing both comedic and melancholic moments. The sensory elements collectively enrich the viewing experience, supporting the film’s thematic ambitions without overwhelming the narrative.

  • Rewatch Factor 88

    Rewatch potential is emphasized by critics who find the film’s unconventional premise endlessly intriguing. The interplay of humor, social commentary, and supernatural lore encourages repeated viewings to uncover layered meanings. Reviewers note that the film’s daring execution rewards audiences who appreciate genre subversion, suggesting lasting appeal. Consequently, the movie is regarded as having high replay value and enduring relevance.

Plot

A Useful Ghost Plot Summary

What happens in A Useful Ghost from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In a city clawing its way back to modern life through sweeping renewal projects, a self-described “academic ladyboy” brings home a new vacuum cleaner to tidy his small apartment. At night the device coughs so loudly that the air seems to tremble, and by morning it has somehow expelled the very dust it had just collected. He calls for a repairman, Krong, Wanlop Rungkumjad, who arrives almost instantly and explains that the vacuum is physically fine but haunted by a ghost—one of several spirits tied to the factory that produced the device. The repairman’s tale pulls the man deeper into a world where memories and machines intertwine, and he invites Krong to tell the story of the haunted factory, inviting a stranger into his own haunted life.

Full summary

The whole story of A Useful Ghost, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

A Useful Ghost Trailers & Videos

4 videos: 3 trailers and 1 teaser.

Fantôme utile - Bande annonce
  • Trailer A Useful Ghost ผีใช้ได้ค่ะ (Official Trailer)
  • Trailer ตัวอย่างภาพยนตร์ ผีใช้ได้ค่ะ [A Useful Ghost] | Official Trailer
  • Teaser Official Teaser [Subtitled]
Quiz

How Well Do You Know A Useful Ghost?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who brings home the new vacuum cleaner that begins the haunting?

Details

A Useful Ghost Also Known As

4 alternative titles, including “Fantôme Utile” and “쓸모 있는 귀신”.

Also known as
  • Fantôme Utile
  • 쓸모 있는 귀신
  • Phi Chidi Kha
  • 有用的鬼

Seen A Useful Ghost?

FAQ

A Useful Ghost FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of A Useful Ghost, each answered in a sentence.

How long is A Useful Ghost?

A Useful Ghost runs 2 hours 10 minutes (130 minutes).

When was A Useful Ghost released?

A Useful Ghost was released on May 17, 2025.

Who directed A Useful Ghost?

A Useful Ghost was directed by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke.

More films by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke

Who is in the cast of A Useful Ghost?

A Useful Ghost stars Davika Hoorne as Nat, Witsarut Himmarat as March and Wanlop Rungkumjad as Krong, among 18 credited actors.

How is A Useful Ghost rated?

A Useful Ghost has 6.7/10 on IMDb, 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, 65% on TMDB and 3.7/5 on Letterboxd.

Does A Useful Ghost have a post-credit scene?

No. A Useful Ghost has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is A Useful Ghost in?

The original language of A Useful Ghost is Thai.

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