Ghosted, opening this week, is a collection of potentially intriguing elements — emphasis on “potentially.” The action moves between Germany, the home of artist Sophie (Inga Busch), and Taiwan, the birthplace of her lover, Ai-Ling (Huan-Ru Ke), whose death prior to the start of the film leaves Sophie vulnerable to the professional and romantic entreaties of journalist Mei Li (Ting Ting Hu). Director Monika Treut, who co-wrote the script with Astrid Ströher, intermingles flashbacks to the beginnings of Sophie’s relationship with Ai-Ling and sequences in which Mei Li comes across as both a stock and a stalk character — although the motivation for her behavior winds up being considerably more unusual than it initially seems. The shifts between time frames are executed smoothly, as are the linguistic transitions (dialogue is delivered in German, Chinese and English) — and Treut handles the lesbian themes so matter-of-factly that even James Dobson might not object too strenuously. But the resolution of numerous plot threads, including one that goes off on a supernatural tangent, pack the emotional wallop of a light sigh. Haunting, they’re not.

The film opens at 5 and 7:30 p.m. Friday, August 28, at Starz FilmCenter, in the Tivoli. Tickets are $6 to $9.50. Learn about future showtimes and more at 303-595-3456 or www.denverfilm.org.
Aug. 28-Sept. 3, 2009