Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze)

Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze), a banker, and Molly Jensen (Demi Moore), a talented potter, are a loving couple who move into a New York City apartment. At work, Sam discovers discrepancies in some bank accounts and confides in his good friend and colleague, Carl Bruner (Tony Goldwyn). Carl offers to investigate the matter, but Sam decides to investigate himself. Soon afterward, Sam and Molly are attacked by armed thug Willy Lopez (Rick Aviles), after leaving a theater and Sam is killed by a gunshot in an ensuing fight with Willy. Sam's ghost arises from the dead body next to the distraught Molly and he gradually realizes that he is a ghost whose presence cannot be seen or heard.

Sam meets Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), a con-artist posing as a medium and realizes she can hear him, although Oda Mae had been faking her abilities until then. Oda Mae is persuaded by Sam to tell Molly that she is in danger because Willy still has his wallet containing their address, but Molly is still in shock and will not believe Oda Mae. Carl convinces Molly that Oda Mae is a fraud. Sam discovers that Carl was involved in a money laundering scheme at the bank and that the attack was an attempt by Carl to acquire Sam's security codes.

Molly remains unconvinced by Oda Mae's messages and even talks to the Police, but they inform her that Oda Mae is a known confidence trickster.

Sam learns from an aggressive New York City subway poltergeist (Vincent Schiavelli) how to master the skill of moving solid objects by his mental powers alone. He persuades Oda Mae to thwart Carl's money laundering scheme by impersonating the owner of Carl's fake bank account. With Sam sitting next to her unseen, she withdraws the balance and closes the account, donating the amount ($4 million) to a homeless shelter.

Carl is desperate when he cannot access the fake bank account which is now closed. He learns that Oda Mae closed the account and declares that if the money is not returned, he will kill...