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Ghost TownDirector: David Koepp Rated: M Now Screening A romantic comedy following the exploits of an obnoxious, unlikeable man who, following a near-death experience on the operating table, finds himself able to communicate with restless ghosts seeking favours, 'Ghost Town' has the misfortune of sounding exactly like that Robert Downey Jnr. film we've all seen on TV way too many times. It has the feeling of a movie made for television syndication, following an obvious plot line through to an inevitable conclusion, making us all feel better about ourselves, and generally not asking us to think about much, but the aces up 'Ghost Town's sleeves - the casting of Ricky Gervais and the general clever way the movie has been put together - bring it up to the level of quality cinema patrons are happy to pay for. In 'Ghost Town' the aforementioned unlikeable prick, Bertram Pincus (Gervais), finds himself tasked with breaking up Gwen, the former wife of deceased Frank (Greg Kinnear) from her new fiancŽ, which Pincus sets out to do by charming Gwen (TŽa Leoni) himself. Gervais, who for the most part plays a caricature of himself, seems like an odd choice for a romantic comedy. His bloated, effeminate and pale features are used, however, subtlety throughout the film, giving a great visual impression of his connection to his new ghostly pals at the beginning, yet the events and characters of the film seem to fill him with more life and vitality as the story progresses. TŽa Leoni is just the right mix of plain, intelligent and eventually charming to sell her part as well, while Kinnear's ghost is played off, compared to and contrasted against Gervais' brutish oaf in a manner rare for the genre. Unfortunately, most of the other characters that pop up aren't expanded on much (one particularly missed opportunity is a ghost who died in the nude, yet we never find out how). Of course, all the cleverness in the world doesn't save the overarching plot from being generic and predictable, but it's a pleasant enough story which stays true to its own tone, even if a twist in the formula at the tale's conclusion would have been nice. Whilst 'Ghost Town' is certainly light, predictable entertainment, it's got a sense of warmth to it that brightens up the experience for the viewer. Worth checking out now, and then enjoying the inevitable TV re-runs in a few years. |