“Blithe Spirit” (** out of four) was a strained adaptation of Noël Coward’s famous play about a writer (Dan Stevens) struggling with writer’s block who hires a psychic (Judy Dench) to help him unlock his block but ends up summoning the spirit of his deceased wife (Leslie Mann) and havoc ensues. High-energy cast tries to inject as much as enthusiasm and vigor as they can but what worked on the stage simply doesn’t translate to film. Stevens’ unlikeable character is a significant mitigation against any potential fun. Coward fans would best be brave and re-watch the play instead.