Can I take a different approach to reviewing this movie? Okay, thanks.
I watched the movie last night, and again this morning, because I was wanting to make sure that I had my allegorical radar working right.
I do think this movie is allegorical to a lot that goes on in today's society, apart from the "ghost story" aspect. We have a young lady who suffered an abusive childhood (evidenced by her scars), who sees men (well, some men, at least) as abusers and demons, and who is determined to purge children of the bad experiences they've suffered at the hands of their abusers (whether she knows that to be the case for certain, or not). It doesn't matter to her if the boy looked up to the man and refuses to discuss him. The ghost of that man is constantly present in *her* mind, and she's going to badger that boy and try to make him say that the man was a demon who did bad things to him, until she kills the child inside of the boy. (She did the same thing to the little girl, and the former governess who was complicit in the relationship with the man and the boy, along with the girl, was the "ghost" in that case.)
Miles said it best, when he scremed to her, "You're just afraid of touch!"
Anyway, I could say a lot more, but it would take a dissertation to discuss it properly. I just wanted to throw out the alternative idea, that maybe this isn't really a "ghost story" at all.
Nilo Mur is all that I thought he would be. I am smitten, as usual.
Love,
Sir J