Login
''What a terrible thing to say in a hospital.''
Bertram Pincus, is a man whose people skills leave much to be desired. When Pincus dies unexpectedly, but is miraculously revived after seven minutes, he wakes up to discover that he now has the annoying ability to see ghosts.
Ricky Gervais: Bertram Pincus D.D.S.
Well my expectations weren't high on Ghost Town before seeing it. Sometimes I find it hard to get into certain comedies especially US ones. What I got from GT was a massive pleasant surprise that never stops making you smile, laugh and entertained throughout.
Whats clever about GT is the blend of interesting characters, environment and music all thrown together to give us this film which at first you think it's not to be taken seriously, but under all its multitude of layers, there is a recurring message about life and death.
The other area that comes into play is the fact that the main hero, Pincus, a Dentist, dislikes people, they annoy him and he prefers his own company.
''Ooooh..err...No talking!''
The performances in Ghost Town are a treat to watch. Especially Ricky Gervais & Greg Kinnear who steal the show.
Ricky Gervais as Bertram Pincus D.D.S. has some of the best dialogue in GT and rightly so, he's got charisma, he's got acting capabilities, and he's got a sardonic sarcasm that results in belly rumbling laughter. Whether it be Star Dust, Night At The Museum or his series The Office Ricky is bound and already on the course for greatness.
We see his character, a dentist who's only looking out for himself at first, who undergoes a procedure at Hospital, which results in him being dead for 7 minutes.
However after this altering experience he has the ability to see the deceased. Everywhere and anywhere. Much to his annoyance, Bertram hated living people let alone dead ones too contacting him.
So when he's faced with a mob of Ghost people following him home like some Zombie hordes staggering after him, he meets another pivotal character that will link him to a lady in his apartment building.
Greg Kinnear as Frank Herlihy is this character. He fits the role of a recently deceased guy who's trying to get rid of his wife's new fiancée, with the help of Bertram. Greg always seems to be electric when it comes to these types of films. As Good As It Gets, Little Miss Sunshine instantly come to mind, now Ghost Town shows what a charismatic feel good yet serious in places, actor he really is.
Needless to say as Ghost Town progresses so does the complications and plot details, which have a new perspective and spin on proceedings.
I must also mention Téa Leoni as Gwen, the love interest and lady on the scene. Who ironically plays an Archaeologist, and Gervais & Leoni have a fair few funny scenes including one with a mummy, one with a huge dog and another with the duo and her new fiancée.
GT is ripe with a supporting cast chock-full of recognizable faces, Alan Ruck and Bill Campbell are both fleeting presences, while Kristen Wiig repeats the Knocked Up process.
What I also noticed was Aasif Mandvi as Dr. Prashar, who I recognized from Spider-Man 2, took me a few minutes to realize he's that Pizza guy from the beginning of SM2.
''Sorry you babbling idiot can we talk about my bowels?''
So Ghost Town ultimately results in not just being a comedy or supernatural tale but one of romance and love also. One where it will proceed to make you laugh over and over until your cheeks hurt from too much.
The script and plot is fairly well conceived for this type of genre film, it even elevates further into an evolved state of mind, as plot threads are tied together towards the climax. Pincus becomes more human, Leoni finds inner peace, and the dead pass on to heaven/afterlife just like other Ghost Type flicks The Sixth Sense, Ghost, Hearts & Souls...
Director David Koepp has created a comedy satire that just works for all the right reasons and has a warm heart that also warms us the audience to it's meaningful conclusion. Koepp's last offering Stir Of Echoes was deeply insightful, while Ghost Town does it in a light and breezy fashion, it also shows Koepp has a sense of humour and can do comedy.
So overall Ghost Town is a feel good movie that isn't one to be taken so seriously like a few pro critics have, and just to sit down and appreciate it for what it is. A light refreshing comedy that isn't too serious, thats designed to make you laugh, not designed to be an explanation of what happens when we die. We all have an imagination surely to come to our own conclusions to that effect.
''I've got a very sensitive gag reflex...''
8/10
