True Story Romance Like ‘The Sixth Sense’ with Jonathan Cohen!

The romantic comedy “The Ideal Soul” by Alice Vial is now playing in theaters. Featuring Jonathan Cohen and Magalie Lépine-Blondeau, the film follows Elsa, a 40-year-old single woman who has given up on love. She possesses a unique gift that keeps her isolated from others: she can see and communicate with the dead.

One evening, she meets Oscar, a charming and humorous man who reignites her belief that anything is possible. However, just as she begins to fall in love, Elsa discovers that their relationship might not be as real as she thought…

Be aware, the following content may contain spoilers if you haven’t seen the trailer

The film reveals early on that Elsa can see the dead… and that Oscar has recently died, although he doesn’t know it yet. When she realizes this, Elsa, already smitten, does everything she can to help him cross over.

Influences: From Ghost to The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

It’s hard not to think of films like “The Sixth Sense,” “Last Christmas,” or “Ghost.” The team rewatched these movies in preparation. In our “Big Screen” show, Jonathan Cohen shared:

“We had to revisit these films because they are part of the genre—even though ‘The Sixth Sense’ leans more towards horror—but we watched many movies in the same vein to see how they handled this character who is there but not really there since he’s a ghost.”

Alice Vial added, discussing her direct influences in the press kit: “I grew up with ‘Ghost,’ of course, and its bold mix of genres. There was also ‘Meet Joe Black,’ where the concept of death inhabiting a body is explored. And a classic film I love: ‘The Ghost and Mrs. Muir’ with Gene Tierney. The biggest challenge in writing was avoiding kitsch. That’s why I sought a poetic realism, a certain simplicity to approach the fantastical aspect. The love story couldn’t be too ‘sweet.’ Balancing emotion and sentiment was not simple.”

A Film Inspired by a True Story!

The director later explains that the idea for “The Ideal Soul” came from her co-writer Jean-Toussaint Bernard: “He came up with the idea of a dead man who doesn’t know he’s dead and this woman who keeps him in the illusion for a while. And of course, the impossible love story that develops between them. But what initially appealed to me was this character who helps souls pass on, who is ashamed of her gift and isolates herself.”

This character with extrasensory perception might seem fictional but is actually based on a real nurse. Alice Vial recounts: “We were inspired by a woman who had been a nurse in palliative care. There was a genuine respect among her colleagues for her mediumship—whether you believe in it or not. She needed a little time with each deceased to soothe the soul before it departed.”

“To prepare for the film, we also visited a palliative care unit. They spoke to us about what they internally refer to as the ‘Jedi.’ They knew certain caregiving colleagues had a special connection with the unseen. Especially when a patient was in their final day, they felt it, they knew. Choosing to work in such a unit is no coincidence…”

“The Ideal Soul” thus draws from a true story, enriched with cinematic influences and a solid writing effort to anchor this fantastical story in reality. The film offers a narrative that is both poetic and deeply human.

“The Ideal Soul” is currently showing in theaters.

AlloCiné provides daily coverage with over 40 articles about cinema and TV series news, interviews, streaming recommendations, and quirky film and series trivia for enthusiasts. Subscribing to AlloCiné on Google Discover means exploring daily the richness of a site designed by and for passionate fans.