GHOST TOWN
US, 2008, 102 minutes, Colour.
Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear, Tea Leone, Dana Ivey, Alan Ruck.
Directed by David Koepp.
What a pleasant surprise. Ricky Gervais is usually seen as a poker face, unemotional, acerbic presence in his television series, The Office and Extras, and in his films, like the severe manager in A Night at the Museum. Actually, for most of Ghost town he is pokerfaced, unemotional and acerbic. You guess that he will have to change by the end of the film but it doesn't seem likely. It is to Gervais' credit as a comic and serious actor and his timing that he finally does get our sympathy.
Very soon into the film you realise that this is a variation on the Scrooge and ghosts themes of Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Gervais' British dentist, Bertram Pincus, has migrated to New York and is strong on denouncing (or ignoring) what he would see as humbug. He likes being a dentist because he can put equipment into people's mouths to stop them talking!
The film has barely started when Greg Kinnear, as a charming cad, is killed and becomes a ghost. Our dentist undergoes an operation, is affected by a negative anaesthetic and finds himself in a medium state of ghosliness (reminiscent of Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost only she was very nice). Soon there are plenty of ghosts who want him to help resolve some issues that they were not able to do because of their untimely deaths. Will the dentist help them? Not likely.
However, he does agree to stop Kinnear's widow marrying again. She is a paleontologist and is played attractively by Tea Leoni. Dr Pincus has the people skills of a robot and his responses and dialogue can be just as clunky. However, he is charmed – and the complications begin from there (especially with the ghost trying to coach him – and interfere).
This is not a laugh aloud comedy but there is a wry sense of humour pervading the film and Gervais remains resolutely British, uptight and in need of a good emotional shaking.
The ending might seem more than a little contrived but it satisfyingly feelgood.
1.A pleasing ghost story? Comedy, pathos, romance, love, care?
2.The familiar New York City: the streets, apartment blocks, museums? The dentists’ surgery? Yet the city full of ghosts? The background of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol?
3.The audience, response to ghosts, ghosts as intermediaries, ghosts as guardian angels? Experiencing a kind of purgatory, a judgment before they go to Heaven?
4.Frank, seemingly nice, dress suit, his talking on the phone, arranging things, the discovery that he was a cad? The couple with the air-conditioner, its falling? His not being killed, amazed, stepping in front of the bus? Becoming a ghost?
5.Bertram Pincus and Ricky Gervais’ comic style? British, reserved, lacking in people skills, blunt in his expressions, unconcerned about people (and the later story about being hurt by his girlfriend)? Treatment of his patients, his staff? Doctor Prashar and his lack of response? Letting him borrow the machine, not going to the celebration of his child? Sneaking away? The encounter with Gwen and his closing the lift door – and later preventing her from getting into the taxi and being drenched? At home, himself, selfish? Thinking of things as humbug? A contemporary Scrooge?
6.His illness, the medicine, going to hospital, his brusqueness in filling in the form, the encounter with the doctors, talking as he was being wheeled in, his wanting general anaesthetic? His generally being unpleasant, getting up, going home? Encountering the ghosts? His return, asking the questions about what happened, the doctor and her awkwardness, getting reinforcements, the seven minutes of his death?
7.Frank appearing, making his request, Doctor Pincus’s reaction? Their discussions, the situation, Frank wanting to prevent Gwen from marrying Richard? His antagonism? Bertram’s encounter with Gwen, his awkwardness? Listening to her speech, at the exhibition, giving the dental analysis for the death of the corpse? His going on the date – checking his diary, agreeing to discuss matters with her? His explanations? The invitation to the opening of the exhibition?
8.The meal, Frank’s presence, Richard, Gwen cooking, the meal? The cross talk because of Frank’s presence? Richard and his charity work, urging Bertram to do this? Richard’s personality? Going off to the court?
9.Frank, his harsh interpretation of Richard? Bertram and his defending Richard?
10.The range of the other ghosts, haunting Bertram, talking to him, being in his waiting room, in the street, following him? In his apartment? The mother and her concern about her daughter? The father and his child’s toy? The builders and the man worried about his responsibility in their deaths? The dentist? The naked man? The elderly, the nurse? Their needs? Situations needing to be put right?
11.Gwen, pleasant, her talent, wary about Bertram? Yet getting fond of him? Her wondering about his information, his explanation, Frank’s dream – and Frank tricking him? Her anger?
12.Bertram and his being upset with Frank? Gwen going to go to Egypt? Bertram pining?
13.His going to the opening, his apology?
14.In his surgery, upset, a better relationship with the Indian doctor who told him the truth? The ghosts, his refusal, finally talking to them? The collage of his doing the jobs, the mother watching her daughter, the builders and their friend feeling relieved, the father and his son getting the toy – and the mother being Bertram’s talkative patient? Their disappearing?
15.Bertram, the change, Gwen and her having to let Frank go and Bertram’s explanation? Frank’s disappearance?
16.Bertram, his success, proud, run over by the bus? Richard helping him to recover? Going to the hospital again?
17.Gwen, her visit to the dentist’s surgery – and the possibilities for a future?
18.A comic message, a nice and caring message? A good blend of British-style humour with American-style humour?
