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Bookmark this pageGhost Town (2008)
Director: David Koepp
Movie review
From Time Out London
Before ‘Ghost Town’ was released in the US, writer-director David Koepp suggested that he had doubts whether Ricky Gervais would be able to carry the project. It’s an odd remark, especially when Gervais is the last person who should be blamed for the film’s failings. Assuming his usual guise as the jittery, acid-tongued malcontent, he excels as a dentist with the Groucho-esque moniker of Bertram Pincus. He dies for seven minutes during a colonoscopy and, on leaving hospital, is able to see members of NYC’s dead who have business to attend to in the land of the living. The spirit of a city slicker played by Greg Kinnear railroads him into stopping his graceful other half (Téa Leoni) marrying a smug lawyer, but when Pincus gets to know her, well, you can guess the rest…It’s not unlikeable – but no effort has been made to make anything more of the Scrooge-comes-good model. Gervais’s sweetly pathetic performance masks many of the failings of the by-the-book quirky direction and workaday script, but Leoni is decent as the romantic foil and Kinnear’s slimy-everyman act works well. Enjoyable as it is to see Gervais trying (and often succeeding) to make something of the mediocre dialogue, it’s not enough.
Author: David Jenkins
Time Out London Issue 1992: October 23-29, 2008
User reviews of this film
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- Viru said...
- Posted on Oct 31 2008 07:53 why does gervais look like an overgrown pig with a small wig on his head ?!? :S
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- shane said...
- Posted on Oct 31 2008 07:51 Gervais not the most versatile of actors but i'm sure his done a fine job in this film seeing as this is what he does best. Going to see it soon.
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- Billy said...
- Posted on Oct 30 2008 21:35 this film was great! although there was a point where i did question its ratings as a 12a, as there was so much swearing!
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- Kelly said...
- Posted on Oct 30 2008 20:52 This film was fantastic! The whole cinema was laughing out loud.
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- No Name. said...
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Posted on Oct 30 2008 13:46
Going to see this tonight!
Cant wait..Sounds really good.
Hope its worth the night out. - Report as inappropriate
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- George said...
- Posted on Oct 29 2008 20:32 I may not be the movie lover but the movie its just no good ok goodm actors but still bad idea stealing from ghoust whisperer
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- KAT said...
- Posted on Oct 29 2008 16:58 Ricky Gervais was superb in this film I went to see it with my sister who has never watched him she is now a fan. super funny and quite sad,. would rec to anyone is a must to see
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- Nigel said...
- Posted on Oct 29 2008 00:03 Well worth it. Its no block buster but I smiled all the way through. Well cast, great music. This is a subtle film that is clean, uncomplicated entertainment.
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- Cheese man said...
- Posted on Oct 28 2008 22:10 Going to see the film 2morow hope its going to be gud
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- Nock Off Nigel said...
- Posted on Oct 27 2008 15:48 Sorry i ment to say Emlily.
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- Nock Off Nigel said...
- Posted on Oct 27 2008 15:43 Well amie...i think the best thing to do in your situation is to by a pirate copy! Its cheap and even though the quality isnt that good you can get the jist of it atleast.
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- Sutton said...
- Posted on Oct 27 2008 13:33 A reasonably amusing popcorn movie, don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed. Gervais was fine in this, played the role of a grumpy old man well and Greg Kinnear was good. A tale of redemption a bit like like Christmas Carol, Wonderful Life or Groundhog Day.
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- emily said...
- Posted on Oct 27 2008 08:21 i don't no wether to go and see this film. i have heard lots of good things about it but equaly lots of bad things about it too.
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- Emilч said...
- Posted on Oct 27 2008 08:16 i don't no wether to see this film or not :S i'e hears lots of goood comments about it but equalч bad ones too. HELPP!!
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- amie said...
- Posted on Oct 26 2008 17:59 'middle class liberals will enjoy it'? whats taht supposed to mean? and i ahve watched it and it is better than a lot of the films i have recently seen. ricky gervais may not have been the ideal leading man, well done for trying though.
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Cast & crew
Director: David Koepp
Cast: Ricky Gervais, Téa Leoni, Greg Kinnear, Aasif Mandvi, Kristen Wiig full cast
Genre(s): Comedy
Rated: 12A
Duration: 102 mins
UK Release: Oct 24 2008
US Release: Sep 19 2008
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