Ricky Gervais’s first US lead role is hotly anticipated for two reasons: Ghost Town is the first time a major motion picture has rested solely on his unquestionably hilarious, rotund shoulders; and Gervais hasn’t been shy in telling everyone how many scripts he rejected since The Office. So David Koepp’s comedy must be good, mustn’t it?
The story, like most of its characters, is surprisingly transparent, a mixture of Ghost, The Sixth Sense, and A Christmas Carol. Gervais plays Bertram Pincus, a sarcastic, successful dentist who has ostracised himself from society so much that he has become something of a ghost. It’s when a routine operation goes wrong and Pincus kicks the bucket for seven minutes that he starts to see dead people, not after his brains, but after his help in settling their earthly business in order to rest in peace.
Ghost Town succeeds solely on the talent of its leading man. The drab direction from Koepp, who utilises a very simple point-and-shoot technique for framing proceedings, is understandable considering the infectious cast performances. But a wonderfully moving farewell montage during the finale aside, there is less life in the visuals than, well, a ghost.
Fans of Gervais will embrace his usual shtick; whether he’s podcasting or stood on stage in front of his own name emblazoned with lights he is consistently funny. But what of those new to his charms? Pincus is dialled down slightly, possibly to appeal to the US market, but scenes such as the dog face-off, and a beautifully judged flirting scene over a thousand-year-old corpse showcase both actor and comedian to winning effect.
It also helps that for the first time, Tea Leoni is actually appealing as an empathetic character. Her relationship with Gervais is believable because it never feels forced; the possibility of companionship is suggested but never forced to fit a Hollywood coda that would sit comfortably in a script that’s otherwise relatively formulaic.
It’s certainly a more successful pairing than the one established with Greg Kinnear’s recently deceased adulterer. There’s nothing wrong with his turn as the spirited spirit, but the relationship very rarely develops beyond squabbling with Gervais, and it could have added so much more to the emotional payoff or love triangle elements of the plot.
It’s a resoundingly successful Hollywood debut for Ricky Gervais, backed up by a sweet natured turn from Leoni and a wonderful supporting role from SNL’s Kristen Wiig as a bumbling doctor, that just about keeps this Capra-esque (or is that Casper?) comedy alive.
[etRating value=“ 3”]
The story, like most of its characters, is surprisingly transparent, a mixture of Ghost, The Sixth Sense, and A Christmas Carol. Gervais plays Bertram Pincus, a sarcastic, successful dentist who has ostracised himself from society so much that he has become something of a ghost. It’s when a routine operation goes wrong and Pincus kicks the bucket for seven minutes that he starts to see dead people, not after his brains, but after his help in settling their earthly business in order to rest in peace.
Ghost Town succeeds solely on the talent of its leading man. The drab direction from Koepp, who utilises a very simple point-and-shoot technique for framing proceedings, is understandable considering the infectious cast performances. But a wonderfully moving farewell montage during the finale aside, there is less life in the visuals than, well, a ghost.
Fans of Gervais will embrace his usual shtick; whether he’s podcasting or stood on stage in front of his own name emblazoned with lights he is consistently funny. But what of those new to his charms? Pincus is dialled down slightly, possibly to appeal to the US market, but scenes such as the dog face-off, and a beautifully judged flirting scene over a thousand-year-old corpse showcase both actor and comedian to winning effect.
It also helps that for the first time, Tea Leoni is actually appealing as an empathetic character. Her relationship with Gervais is believable because it never feels forced; the possibility of companionship is suggested but never forced to fit a Hollywood coda that would sit comfortably in a script that’s otherwise relatively formulaic.
It’s certainly a more successful pairing than the one established with Greg Kinnear’s recently deceased adulterer. There’s nothing wrong with his turn as the spirited spirit, but the relationship very rarely develops beyond squabbling with Gervais, and it could have added so much more to the emotional payoff or love triangle elements of the plot.
It’s a resoundingly successful Hollywood debut for Ricky Gervais, backed up by a sweet natured turn from Leoni and a wonderful supporting role from SNL’s Kristen Wiig as a bumbling doctor, that just about keeps this Capra-esque (or is that Casper?) comedy alive.
[etRating value=“ 3”]
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