Yesterday during dinner, I caught the classic heartwarming thriller “The Sixth Sense” on HBO. I was probably still in elementary school when it came out in 1999. As a kid, all I remembered were the ghosts that popped out to scare people, the unexpected ending, and the classic line from the little boy, “I see dead people…”, which has been parodied endlessly for over a decade.
But watching it again now, I have a different feeling, maybe because I’m not as easily scared anymore (huh?).
The story goes like this: Dr. Malcolm (Bruce Willis) is a child psychologist who specializes in helping children with psychological disorders overcome their pain. After a shooting incident by a patient he failed to treat, Malcolm’s life changes until he meets a little boy named Cole (Haley Joel Osment) and decides to help him overcome his inner obstacles as a way to atone for his past failures.
The plot sounds ordinary, but that’s just the framework. The storytelling process and method are where the brilliance lies.
The movie takes a complete turn after the little boy says, “I see dead people…”. What seemed like a motivational story of a psychologist helping a boy turns out to be about the boy’s strange behavior and reclusive nature, which are because he can see ghosts!
In the first half of the movie, the story is mostly told from Malcolm’s perspective, but in the second half, it shifts to Cole’s, and the ghosts start appearing. This makes the latter half of the movie filled with moments that keep you on edge, waiting to be frightened. Cole’s constantly tense expression (I think he looks tense just by his appearance) makes you want to hold your breath while watching until a ghost appears, or you actually need to breathe.
Alright, now the plot twists from the doctor’s perspective to the boy seeing ghosts, and the next twist is: it turns out the ghosts are actually friendly (well… good ghosts).
While listening to recordings of his previous patients, Dr. Malcolm finally hears the voice of a ghost, thus believing in Cole’s ability to see them. He also discovers that the ghosts appear because they want Cole, who can see them, to help fulfill their last wishes.
For instance, the ghost girl mentioned earlier actually came to tell Cole to give a videotape to her father, which contains the truth about her death that she accidentally recorded while she was alive. After Cole completes this task, the ghost girl willingly moves on to the afterlife.
Cole’s world changes because he realizes the ghosts are not there to harm him. He no longer needs to be afraid, and perhaps he might even develop a career path like a psychic in the future. The boy, no longer afraid, becomes more active at school and eventually lands the lead role in a school play, while Malcolm can finally rest easy, having successfully helped the boy.
But the story isn’t over. From the doctor’s perspective, to the boy seeing ghosts, to ghosts being friendly, there’s another twist: it turns out the doctor himself has been a ghost all along!
Dr. Malcolm actually died in the initial shooting incident, but due to his guilt over his previous patient, he lingered on Earth until he met the boy and successfully helped him, fulfilling his own wish and allowing him to peacefully leave the world.
Since I had seen it before and knew the ending, this time I noticed that the movie contains many subtle details hinting that Dr. Malcolm is actually a ghost, such as his room always being locked, his wife not speaking to him, and only the boy interacting with him throughout the film. There are also some deliberate shots that make you think Malcolm is alive, but upon a second viewing, you’ll realize these are clues too!
This film is perfect for savoring at home, ideal for those who want to see Bruce Willis in a dramatic role, and great for fans of thrillers. Also, Haley Joel Osment’s career took a different turn as he grew up, so if you want to see this young actor’s performance, this film is a great choice.