Nobody puts baillee in the corner

Where do I even begin with Casper? You have Christina Ricci and Bill Pullman. You have a great companion Pepsi commercial. You have the same mansion that would soon also be the setting for the music video “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” which I just found out this morning.

Long story short, there is absolutely reason you shouldn’t have seen this movie, but in case you haven’t, here’s the gist: A father and daughter move into Whipstaff Manor, in an attempt to rid the place of its three obnoxious ghosts who are hell-bent on keeping the living out as well as their sweet and lovable counterpart, Casper, who only wants companionship. Oh yeah, and Cathy Moriarty and Eric Idle are trying to greedy find the alleged treasure hiding away in the manor.

There’s one specific scene I want to focus on today, and there are going to be some spoilers, so do not proceed any further if you haven’t seen the movie. Ready? Good.

There are two heartbreaking scenes in Casper, but we’re not talking about a certain scene with Devon Sawa. Instead, we’re talking about Casper making the ultimate sacrifice. Casper’s father was an engineer and had crafted a machine with the ability is to resurrect the dead without consequence (because this is a family film). The original plan is obviously to restore Casper’s visceral form, but when Christina Ricci’s father finds himself a specter after a night of debauchery with Casper’s three obnoxious foils, Casper finds himself making the ultimate sacrifice by helping said father rise from the grave.

Our selfless spirit genuinely sacrifices his one chance at life for love, and that’s what we’re here to talk about. Love is full of sacrifices. It’s about sacrificing sleep when your friend is going through a bad breakup and needs you. It’s about sacrificing your pride to do something embarrassing with or for your partner. It’s about sacrificing a want for a family member’s need.

It’s also about making the tough sacrifices, like letting go. It’s about knowing when it’s time to say goodbye. It’s knowing you can’t take a job offer because it’s not feasible for your relationship. It’s knowing you have to move away from your parents for the best college opportunity for you.

Sacrificing can be a rewarding thing, but it can also be one of the hardest things you’ll ever experience; sometimes, it’s both. It’s staying up all night to listen to a friend and saying goodbye to a loved one. It’s participating in a cheesy couple’s costume and realizing you can’t grow together anymore. It’s falling for Christina Ricci and letting her father come back from the dead instead of giving yourself a second chance at life.

Sacrificing (healthy, non-toxic, consenting sacrificing) is the epitome of a double-edged sword, especially when love is involved. It’s something you’ll be faced with, whether or not you’re prepared for it. Sometimes, it’s as simple as sacrificing pizza for dinner to send someone $20 who needs it. Other times, it’s letting someone go for their happiness. Either way, sacrificing and love often go hand and hand.

But without love and sacrificing, we wouldn’t be flesh and bone.