ghost town

Best known for his television work, British comedian Ricky Gervais (BBC's The Office) makes his silver screen debut in the new supernatural farce Ghost Town.

Gervais plays grouchy dentist Bertram Pincus, who dies in the first few minutes of the film and then almost immediately returns to life. Back from the beyond, Pincus now has the ability to see dead people. Where Bruce Willis treated ghosts seriously, Pincus turns convention on its head with his complete irreverence and clear annoyance towards the otherworldly.

A ghost named Frank (Greg Kinnear) particuarly dogs the disgruntled dentist. Frank is a nagging hot shot who in some ways is the antithesis to Pincus and in other ways, a kindred spirit in his rudeness. Kinnear effectively plays himself in this film and delivers an unremarkable performance.

Accompanying Gervais and Kinnear is Tea Leoni in the role of Kinnear's widow and Gervais' love interest. Leoni, known mostly for playing whiny blond wives, does not diversify with this role. Despite that, or perhaps because of her one-dimensionality, she delivers an acceptable performance.

The standout here is Gervais. Successfully transferring that tricky brand of English comedy to an American audience, Gervais' sometimes deadpan, sometimes witty style draws gales of laughter.

Not just a comedy, Ghost Town is actually a feel-good story as well. Looking to catch a wider viewer base, the director threw in some drama and a journey of self-discovery for good measure. Flawed in many small ways, the film nonetheless provides a fresh type of humor for American audiences.