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Don't you just love it when one of your favorite character actors gets to be the star?
Being second banana takes pressure off making your movie a hit, but when you get a dry wit such as Ricky Gervais, you wonder if he could carry a movie. Well, given that he is a master when it comes to comedy, it's safe to say yes.
As the title "Ghost Town" suggests, his character sees dead people. Parts of the movie will remind you of "Ghost" and "The Sixth Sense," but a lot of it reminded me of that so-so flick that opened earlier this year but everyone already has forgotten about, starring that "Desperate House wives" chick, Eva Longoria. Oh, yeah, it was called "Over Her Dead Body," and it also starred Paul Rudd. "Ghost Town" is way better than that, in part because of Gervais.
Not only does he see ghosts, but he sees the really annoying ones.
How did this happen?
Well ... let's just say that New York dentist Bertram Pincus gets a last-minute second chance at life. The upside is that he is alive; the downside is that he sees those who aren't.
Being second banana takes pressure off making your movie a hit, but when you get a dry wit such as Ricky Gervais, you wonder if he could carry a movie. Well, given that he is a master when it comes to comedy, it's safe to say yes.
As the title "Ghost Town" suggests, his character sees dead people. Parts of the movie will remind you of "Ghost" and "The Sixth Sense," but a lot of it reminded me of that so-so flick that opened earlier this year but everyone already has forgotten about, starring that "Desperate House wives" chick, Eva Longoria. Oh, yeah, it was called "Over Her Dead Body," and it also starred Paul Rudd. "Ghost Town" is way better than that, in part because of Gervais.
Not only does he see ghosts, but he sees the really annoying ones.
How did this happen?
Well ... let's just say that New York dentist Bertram Pincus gets a last-minute second chance at life. The upside is that he is alive; the downside is that he sees those who aren't.
There's ample opportunity for Gervais to shine, using his improvisational skills.
Some will find it ironic that here he is playing a dentist when in fact his own choppers give away the fact that he is English. But that's just his exterior: People who paint for a living sometimes have the most horrid-looking houses, so it's all relative, isn't it?
If you're not familiar with Gervais, it is refreshing to see him in a role completely unlike his television personas. It was the original BBC version of "The Office" that introduced the world to Gervais before his HBO series, "Extras," gave us more to enjoy about a frustrated actor trying to break into showbiz.
This is a surprising turnaround for writer-director David Koepp, looking at his past efforts. Coming from the guy who wrote the screenplays for "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," "War of the Worlds" and "Panic Room," he was fortunate to have two strong leading guys who have a pretty decent comedy background.
Greg Kinnear plays not just one of the paranormals haunting Dr. Pincus, but the most vocal of the lot as well.
In the past, ghosts would rattle their chains and moan, but not today's ghosts: They're even scarier when they're nagging you to death.
Kinnear is hilarious as Frank, who doesn't want his living Egyptologist widow, Gwen (Tea Leoni), to marry anyone else, so he strikes a deal with the good dentist involving the complaining dead.
Some will find it ironic that here he is playing a dentist when in fact his own choppers give away the fact that he is English. But that's just his exterior: People who paint for a living sometimes have the most horrid-looking houses, so it's all relative, isn't it?
If you're not familiar with Gervais, it is refreshing to see him in a role completely unlike his television personas. It was the original BBC version of "The Office" that introduced the world to Gervais before his HBO series, "Extras," gave us more to enjoy about a frustrated actor trying to break into showbiz.
This is a surprising turnaround for writer-director David Koepp, looking at his past efforts. Coming from the guy who wrote the screenplays for "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," "War of the Worlds" and "Panic Room," he was fortunate to have two strong leading guys who have a pretty decent comedy background.
Greg Kinnear plays not just one of the paranormals haunting Dr. Pincus, but the most vocal of the lot as well.
In the past, ghosts would rattle their chains and moan, but not today's ghosts: They're even scarier when they're nagging you to death.
Kinnear is hilarious as Frank, who doesn't want his living Egyptologist widow, Gwen (Tea Leoni), to marry anyone else, so he strikes a deal with the good dentist involving the complaining dead.
And, yeah, you can count on a romantic twist before things wrap up, but just seeing Ger vais as a leading man - let alone one who might get the girl - is worth watching.
Yes, there are moments when you might be moved, some reminding us how fragile we humans are, and if you're thinking that this sounds like a few other plotlines, you're correct.
However, by infusing the relationship between the dead (Kinnear) and the living (Gervais), it really is a fresh take on anything that has come before it.
If you're a fan of "The Office," look for Stephen Merchant, Gervais' co-writer and creator of the original BBC sitcom.
- Howie Nave is host/manager of The Improv comedy club inside Harveys and reviews films for seven radio stations throughout Northern California and Nevada, including Sirius Radio. He hosts "Howie's Morning Rush" on Tahoe's KRLT radio, and you can see his film reviews on "Howie's Late Night Rush" Monday through Friday at midnight on RSN. For past reviews, blogs and audio clips, visit www.HowieNave.com.
Yes, there are moments when you might be moved, some reminding us how fragile we humans are, and if you're thinking that this sounds like a few other plotlines, you're correct.
However, by infusing the relationship between the dead (Kinnear) and the living (Gervais), it really is a fresh take on anything that has come before it.
If you're a fan of "The Office," look for Stephen Merchant, Gervais' co-writer and creator of the original BBC sitcom.
- Howie Nave is host/manager of The Improv comedy club inside Harveys and reviews films for seven radio stations throughout Northern California and Nevada, including Sirius Radio. He hosts "Howie's Morning Rush" on Tahoe's KRLT radio, and you can see his film reviews on "Howie's Late Night Rush" Monday through Friday at midnight on RSN. For past reviews, blogs and audio clips, visit www.HowieNave.com.
Keepin' it reel
NOW PLAYING: "Ghost Town"
STARRING: Ricky Gervais, Tea Leoni, Greg Kinnear, Billy Campbell, Kristen Wiig and Dana Ivey DIRECTED BY: David Koepp RATED: PG-13 for some strong language, sexual humor and drug references RUNNING TIME: 104 minutes HOWIE GIVES IT: 4.5 out of 5 bagels |
