Somewhere in working-class Ireland resides Rose (Maeve Higgins), a quiet young woman who runs a small driving school, being a valuable but otherwise forgettable member of the local community. However, this hasn’t always been her life – prior to settling into this banal but comfortable existence, Rose worked with her father (Risteárd Cooper), a celebrated ghost expert, as his partner in investigating various forms of paranormal activity that occurred around the town. Rose possessed a very special gift where she was able to communicate with the spirits of the dead, which made her and her father a formidable pair. This all came to a halt when Rose accidentally caused her father’s death due to some unfortunate circumstances, which has led her to step away from ghostly activities, and rather find a more simple life to pass the time. Yet, she’s forced back into the fray when Martin (Barry Ward) contacts her for help. A widower with a young daughter (Emma Coleman), Martin is being haunted by the spirit of his deceased wife, who refuses to leave him alone, dictating every aspect of his life without even being fully present, and commanding her gentle husband from across the celestial realm. He seeks out help in getting her to finally rest, rather than occupying eternity bothering her loved ones. This intersects with a plot by the maniacal Christian Winter (Will Forte), a failed pop star known as a one-hit-wonder from twenty years before, who has made a pact with the forces of darkness to give him a taste of fame again, in exchange for his sacrifice of a young virgin, which is precisely where his interest in the young woman comes in. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Rose abandons her hesitation and goes in search of some solutions – only to find more complications tend to arise when one is dabbling in matters of the otherworld.

Extra Ordinary is a strange film – an odd duck of a comedic horror with broad overtures of absurdism (think about this as Ghostbusters and The Exorcist as produced by Monty Python), but enough emotional heft to make it actually quite meaningful, we never quite know what to expect from it, which seems to be part of why many viewers have become so fond of this film in such a short span of time. Despite what we may think were the intentions of this film, it is quite obvious is that Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman really did something special with a premise that sometimes appears to be at perpetual risk of complete disintegration, particularly towards the end of the film, where every bit of logic is abandoned in a flurry of visually-stimulating, mind-bending surrealism that feels out of place in a film like this. In short, Ahern and Loughman found a raw nerve in a genre that has almost become omnipotent, and managed to expose it to its most fundamental core, which is precisely where Extra Ordinary originated from. Less of a generation-defining masterpiece, and more the well-liked comedy that has enough good-natured humour to make it palatable to general audiences, and a vitriolic sense of dark comedy, which will be appreciated by those who will inevitably repurpose this film as a cult classic, of which it absolutely has all the trimmings. A film that practically begs to earn the status of a midnight movie that may not be widely-adored, but rather is appreciated by a distinct group, who would tend to find the bizarre ramblings of this offbeat comedy so utterly irresistible. There are worse fates to befall a film, and its genuine approach to some more expected material makes for unmistakably rivetting viewing.

Ultimately, Extra Ordinary is absolutely not anything we haven’t seen before – but like with many films of its ilk in the sub-genre of the darkly comical horror, it avoids becoming derivative by actually taking an active interest in its subject (and the people involved in bringing it to the screen), valuing every contribution, rather than boasting of its own subversive brilliance, which isn’t always something we can say about a film as quaint and independently-minded as this. Simple enough, but only to the point where it becomes effective, Extra Ordinary contains a dizzying array of ideas that don’t always manifest quite as well as they should, but still bring with them a sense of intimacy and narrative originality, to the point where forgiving it for its minor flaws isn’t only encouraged, it’s actively necessary, since it gives us deeper insights into whatever message Ahern and Loughman were hoping to impart with this film, which feels remarkably decent in both theory and execution – and considering how many audacious films of this kind are produced at an alarmingly regular rate, that’s certainly something to consider when attempting to find the root of what this film is trying to say, and the methods with which it seems to be intent on conveying these ideas. It strikes an astounding balance between its genres, being an unmistakeably hilarious work of unconventional horror, but doesn’t deviate too far off the path of tradition, giving it a sense of rebelliousness, but within reason. As the debut film for both directors, Extra Ordinary isn’t a film that benefits from too much ambition – and while there are some tremendous moments of originality, the film is a rather straightforward affair that stays on the well-worn path out of sheer necessity, so as not to be overly alienating with its multitude of bizarre ideas.

Something quite noticeable about Extra Ordinary is that this is a film populated almost entirely by supporting character – and not necessarily character actors getting leading roles, but rather an entire project built from the perspective of focusing on archetypes that normally exist only as comic relief or brief bit parts there to move the plot along, rather than define it. In this regard, the film is exceptionally well-cast, with a small but dedicated ensemble proving themselves to be worthy of international attention, more than they have received to date. At the centre of the film are Maeve Higgins and Barry Ward, two hard-working Irish performers that have only briefly flirted with fame outside their country, and both in smaller roles. Extra Ordinary proves that they are absolutely brilliant in much larger parts, both bringing an offbeat charm to a film that actually understands how to use it. The story may sometimes expect a bit too much from the characters, and there are moments where the film asks them to make choices that seem very much out of place – but it only seems par-for-the-course for a film like this to have a pair of leads who can rise above the occasionally lacklustre material and deliver knockout performances in their own right. They’re supported wonderfully by the likes of Will Forte (who seems to be channelling mid-2000s Jim Carrey in his part as the devil-worshipping pop star, a sentence that can really only make sense in the context of this film), who is a terrific villain, and manages to show the right amount of restraint, even when so much of the film seems him letting loose and playing on his natural eccentricities. The characters in Extra Ordinary are essentially what keep us engaged, and its this very quaint approach to developing these individuals beyond mere archetype (but still constructing them as fundamentally entertaining figures) that gives this film a certain veneer of tremendously satisfying comedy.

Extra Ordinary is a really charming film, and one that has all the makings of a future classic – it has the humour, the horror and the heart, all in equal measure, as well as the self-awareness to know its limitations, never attempting to grasp for something out of its reach, and staying well within its lane, but always provoking at something much deeper, keeping the underlying discussion active and fascinating. Unfortunately, this is the kind of film that only thrives by word of mouth, since nothing about it is particularly striking as a film that many will seek out of their own accord. Despite being exceptional in numerous areas, it’s still a very small, independent horror comedy that doesn’t have many recognizable stars, and carries a relatively bizarre premise that won’t necessarily convert cynical viewers to be on its wavelength. However, taken for what it is, Extra Ordinary is a film that is made to be discovered rather than pursued – it’s how I found it, and there are few sensations better than that of uncovering a new gem that was lurking just out of sight. Showing promise for future directorial efforts, Ahern and Loughman craft an unforgettable comedy that starts as a jarring, disconcerting bundle of ideas centred on some familiar themes, which gradually dovetail in a touching story of a pair of wayward souls finding solace in each other – and all it took was a series of ghost hauntings and the threat of demonic possession to incite the passion they needed to realize their own self-worth – just another day in the lives of a pair of “extra ordinary” paranormal investigators.