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Movies / On DVD / Ghost Town
Ghost Town

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Ghost Town (2008)

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Reviews Counted:171

Fresh:145

Rotten:26

Average Rating:6.9/10

Consensus: Ricky Gervais' consistently sharp performance and beautifully dry execution transform this otherwise mainstream comedy into an endearing, funny, and altogether snappy romantic comedy. With ghosts.

Rated: 12A [See Full Rating] for some strong language, sexual humor and drug references.

Runtime: 1 hr 42 mins

Genre: Comedies

Theatrical Release:24-10-2008

Synopsis: Director and screenwriter David Koepp (STIR OF ECHOES, SECRET WINDOW) brings Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear, and Téa Leoni together for a romantic comedy with a twist of the supernatural. Dr. Bertram... Director and screenwriter David Koepp (STIR OF ECHOES, SECRET WINDOW) brings Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear, and Téa Leoni together for a romantic comedy with a twist of the supernatural. Dr. Bertram Pincus (Gervais) doesn't like people very much. In fact, the antisocial dentist does everything he can to avoid interaction with other human beings. Unfortunately, he gets more than he bargained for when he is released from the hospital after undergoing a standard procedure: he can see dead people, and they can see him. Suddenly, every ghost in New York City wants Pincus to help clean up their unfinished business. Dapper Frank (Kinnear) is the most persistent ghost, badgering Pincus to help keep his widow, Gwen (Leoni), from making a big mistake. Gervais is perfect as Pincus, whose deadpan expressions make obvious his disdain for people. His comic timing is spot on throughout the film. Kinnear makes Frank likable, not an easy feat since he apparently wasn't such an upstanding guy when he was alive and married to Leoni's Gwen. Aasif Mandvi appears as a dentist sharing Gervais's office, and Billy Campbell is Gwen's new love interest. SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE star Kristen Wiig is a scene-stealer as Pincus's surgeon, particularly when she is trying to avoid telling her patient what went wrong during his procedure. Dana Ivey and Alan Ruck also appear as ghosts in need of help. [More]

Starring: Ricky Gervais, Téa Leoni, Greg Kinnear, Billy Campbell

Starring: Ricky Gervais, Téa Leoni, Greg Kinnear, Billy Campbell, Kristen Wiig, Dana Ivey, Aasif Mandvi

Director: David Koepp

Director: David Koepp
Screenwriter: David Koepp, John Kamps
Producer: Gavin Polone
Composer: Geoff Zanelli
Studio: Paramount Pictures

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for Ghost Town

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61 - 80 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Oh, look--a good movie.

Full Review Source: Bangor Daily News (Maine) | comment Comment
09/23/08
Christopher Smith
Christopher Smith
Bangor Daily News (Maine)

It's terrific entertainment all the way around. Do yourself a favor. Go see it.

Full Review Source: Aisle Seat | comment Comment
09/23/08
Mike McGranaghan
Mike McGranaghan
Aisle Seat

It should have been a comedic version of Quantum Leap or Sixth Sense, but instead we get a boring, unbelievable potential romance between Gervais and Leoni.

Full Review Source: The Scorecard Review | comment Comment
09/23/08
Jeff Bayer
Jeff Bayer
The Scorecard Review

Gervais gives the movie its dose of cynicism, but he also pulls off the tricky task of convincing an audience to love a prickly bastard.

Full Review Source: Scene-Stealers.com | comment Comment
09/22/08
Eric Melin
Eric Melin
Scene-Stealers.com

Ghost Town relies on Ricky Gervais' ability to play a rather mean lead character - until suddenly it doesn't.

Full Review Source: Washington Times | comment Comment
09/22/08
Christian Toto
Christian Toto
Washington Times

It's Gervais' picture from first to last and in one fell swoop the movies have found a successor to the late Dudley Moore.

Full Review Source: Windy City Times | comment Comment
09/22/08
Richard Knight
Richard Knight
Windy City Times

This misleadingly titled tale of a dentist who sees dead people attempts to be a supernatural romantic-comedy in the manner of the old TOPPER movies from the '30s.

Full Review Source: ESplatter | comment Comment
09/22/08
Steve Biodrowski
Steve Biodrowski
ESplatter

While the overall story of Ghost Town could be considered a little stale, a rather amusing performance from Ricky Gervais and some crisp direction from David Koepp keeps this by-the-numbers romantic comedy from ever becoming dull.

Full Review Source: Watertown Daily Times | comment Comment
09/22/08
Adam Tobias
Adam Tobias
Watertown Daily Times

Funny and heartwarming, this love letter to New York City's Upper East Side is refreshingly free of flashy special effects and paranormal gags.

Full Review Source: Christianity Today | comment Comment
09/22/08
Brandon Fibbs
Brandon Fibbs
Christianity Today

After a trying week in which many of us suffered damage to our homes and others were still without power, Ghost Town will provide a wonderful boost, if just for a couple of hours.

Full Review Source: Houston Community Newspapers | comment Comment
09/22/08
Gary Brown
Gary Brown
Houston Community Newspapers

Isn't bad by any means, but it is so low-key that it's rarely funny and difficult to get excited about.

Full Review Source: DustinPutman.com | comment Comment
09/21/08
Dustin Putman
Dustin Putman
DustinPutman.com

...an amiable ghost story that uses its stars to good effect.

Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | comment Comment
09/21/08
Robin Clifford
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews

This Ricky Gervais vehicle is likely to work for you to the extent that you enjoy laughing at the insufferably stuffy Brit cliche he has practically perfected.

Full Review Source: NewsBlaze | comment Comment
09/21/08
Kam Williams
Kam Williams
NewsBlaze

A sentimental comedy adept at evoking both smiles and tears.

Full Review Source: Compuserve | comment Comment
09/20/08
Harvey S. Karten
Harvey S. Karten
Compuserve

Maybe Ricky Gervais is a funny guy, but you'd never know it from this charmless excuse for a supernatural romantic comedy, which doesn't have the first clue how to take advantage of his dry, tangential, self-deprecating wit.

Full Review Source: Flick Filosopher | comment Comment
09/20/08
MaryAnn Johanson
MaryAnn Johanson
Flick Filosopher

Playing off each other brilliantly, Ricky Gervais and Greg Kinnear make their extreme-opposite characters quite believable here.

Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews | comment Comment
09/20/08
Betty Jo Tucker
Betty Jo Tucker
ReelTalk Movie Reviews

Director Koepp's funny script gets extra life from Ricky Gervais' inspired delivery.

Full Review Source: Denton Record Chronicle (TX) | comment Comment
09/20/08
Boo Allen
Boo Allen
Denton Record Chronicle (TX)

Ricky Gervais makes Ghost Town thoroughly entertaining.

Full Review Source: ReviewExpress.com | comment Comment
09/20/08
Diana Saenger
Diana Saenger
ReviewExpress.com

Because of wryly engaging Ricky Gervais, it's a funny crowd-pleaser that turns sentimental in all the right places.

Full Review Source: SSG Syndicate | comment Comment
09/20/08
Susan Granger
Susan Granger
SSG Syndicate

There's a lot of familiar ground, brought to new life with the unique comedy styling that Gervais manages.

Full Review Source: 7M Pictures | comment Comment
09/20/08
Kevin Carr
Kevin Carr
7M Pictures
 
 
61 - 80 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
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Latest News for Ghost Town

July 02, 2009: The Couch Tomato: This Week's DVD and Blu-ray in Australia
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We continue our series of extended interviews by spending an hour in the company of Britain's funniest man. With a new chapter every day this week, today Gervais finds a job for... More...

November 13, 2008: Ricky Gervais - RT's Dinner and the Movies Interview - Chapter 4
We continue our series of extended interviews by spending an hour in the company of Britain's funniest man. With a new chapter every day this week, today Gervais discusses the... More...

November 12, 2008: Ricky Gervais - RT's Dinner and the Movies Interview - Chapter 3
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