Ghost Town Review

Overall Rating

Definitely has it's moments, and there were at least a couple of times when I laughed so much I almost choked on my popcorn.

Heavy with sentiment, it's also not clear what the film wants to be.

Ghost meets Groundhog Day in Ricky Gervais' film debut 'Ghost Town'. Gervais is Bertram Pincus is a misanthropic dentist who is cursed with the extremely annoying ability of being able to see ghosts after a mistake during an operation causes him to die for 7 minutes. He agrees to help a man on the basis that these wandering spirits will leave him alone, and this partnership leads to Gervais' love interest.

Although it's important not to expect Groundog Day quality, Ghost Town is a very competent comedy flick, and certainly delivers on the humour. However, It's hard to work out if adding Ricky Gervais to the standard Hollywood romcom formula had its desired effects, because it's not clear what the intended outcome is. If the creators thought they'd come out with a romcom with a ghostly twist they're mistaken, because Ricky Gervais inputs his own Office-like qualities which make the film seem decidedly un-American. In other parts though, Ghost Town is heavy with Hollywood moral code which make most movie goers on this side of the pond groan and shift in their seats. The twist isn't the presence of ghosts as the creators seem to think, it's the presence of Ricky Gervais.

If the intention was to appeal to British and American viewers alike then the film works on some levels. But it's very hard to comprehend Gervais' shift from the excruciating Office and its subtle pulling of the heartstrings to the American slop we've come to expect, and when you realise you're sitting in the cinema waiting for the next David Brent moment for 20 minute periods it's obvious the film is doing something wrong.

Ghost Town is recommended because it is, undoubtedly, funny. Don't expect genius because of the presence of Gervais, but don't write it off as another one churned out by the aged Hollywood romcom machine.