Dan's Papers - September 26, 2008

It seems as if most of the crowd exiting the theatre after Ghost Town finds this movie to be a direct descendant of recent specter fare - such as The Frighteners, Just Like Heaven and, naturally, Ghost. But, they need to take their references back a tad, even past Cary Grant in Topper, as the true muse of this film is certainly A Christmas Carol. While all the aforementioned films feature spirits who help the living with their love lives, the ghosts in this Town are doing more than getting the star some romantic action - they're helping a modern-day Scrooge realize he loves life. And it's that grizzled guy who really makes this story fly.

Enter Ricky Gervais: Brit actor who is a cult hero here in the USA. Known by those familiar with his work on the original English version of TV's "The Office" and HBO's "Extras," he's otherwise a face many might not place. Just keep in mind...English, English - as in English comedy. If recent imports like Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead flummox you with accented, dry and wry UK wit, best to skip on this film, as Gervais (as dentist Bertram Pincus) makes this movie a solid choice with homeland mannerisms and comments that American funny folk are rarely capable of. You might think at first he's following the lead of Alan Rickman from the recent shiny coin Bottle Shock (where Rickman steals the show as an Englishman who detests our nation's flatter sensibilities), but it's not Americans Pincus doesn't like - it's everybody. Why someone who completely hates people would live in Manhattan is a great question, but, nonetheless, the tooth doc makes every effort to avoid speaking or even standing close to anyone. But as we watch the man (who enjoys dentistry mainly because it's a profession that allows him to shut people up with cotton balls) early on, we know that this sarcastic, anti-social juggernaut is bound to see the light, which here is the one at the end of the line.

Receiving an otherwise commonplace colonoscopy, Pincus ends up dying on the table. He's revived after seven minutes, but the near-death experience is only the beginning of his brush with the afterlife, as he comes back with the ability to see the dead. And if you thought there were a lot of living people in New York, well...

As soon as the teeming ghosts of NYC realize Bertram can see them, they swarm brazenly to him, as the spirits are all individuals who are unable to move on to the afterlife because of their unresolved personal issues. One ghost in particular is Frank Herlihy (Greg Kinnear), a studly soul who got 86'ed before he could set things straight with his wife, now the widow Gwen (Tea Leoni - who here is playing the world's smartest and prettiest Egyptologist). He needs Dr. Pincus to step up and stop his spouse from remarrying a louse, and gets the dentist aboard by promising to keep all the other formerly living people away for good. And to hold up his end of the bargain, Gervais' Pincus must actually attempt to charm Gwen away from her current relationship. What comes next is no surprise: the angry introvert starts to enjoy his daily jog with fellow runners in the human race.

The device here is a nice touch. While Pincus is able to fend off his fellow living men and women, the ghosts have nothing to lose and he can't avoid them as they force him to engage, thereby opening his eyes to the wonders of conversation and companionship. Take away the humor, and Bertram would seem dangerously unbalanced (a la A Beautiful Mind) - but we know the (shockingly good-looking) dead people here are real, and Gervais, who has always gets a laugh out of his humor when he plays a crank or curmudgeon, is perfectly cast in this film. You can both sincerely believe he hates people and simultaneously wants to like them, yet doesn't know how to do so as he gets a second lease on life courtesy of the ghosts of New York City - which in this film also happens to be the true star, as many a shot holds the Big Apple in glamorous and wonderful embrace.

Ian Stark is a frequent TV and radio commentator on the film industry, and consults with private organizations on their collections. He is widely published on film and other arts/culture topics.