The repressed and prickly self-centered Bertram Pincus D.D.S. (Ricky Gervais) died the other day. Sure it was only for (not quite) seven minutes, but he was dead all the same, and no matter how hard his doctor (a borderline brilliant Kristen Wiig) wants to argue the fact with him the simple truth is for a brief shining moment he was in point of fact knocking on heaven’s door.

Ricky Gervais and Greg Kinnear in DreamWorks' Ghost Town

What might just put him over the edge is that fact heaven is actually knocking back, a whole gaggle of New York City ghosts who he can suddenly both see and communicate with wanting him to fix all the earthly problems left unfinished before their demise. Chief amongst those is narcissistic adulterer Frank Herlihy (Greg Kinnear) and he wants Bertram to stop his wife Gwen (Téa Leoni) from marrying the wrong man, and he's not remotely willing to take any form of the word ‘no’ as an answer.

The truly great thing about the new comedy Ghost Town is that, while you know more or less where it’s going, co-writer and director David Koepp (Secret Window, Stir of Echoes) seldom takes the well-traveled road to actually get there. This movie bobs and weaves to its own distinctly original rhythms, the filmmaker unleashing a full symphony of silliness and tenderness so fantastically entertaining I couldn’t help but be pleased.

Start to finish, beginning to end, this is a grandly entertaining comedy made in the old screwball style put painted with modern sensibilities. The filmmaker handles it all with sublime simplicity, each scene moving to the next with an easygoing charm and grace that constantly put a smile on my face. This is a handsome production devoid of the usual tricks or clichés, and as far as the director is concerned this just might be his most confidently constructed and photographed motion picture yet.

It helps immeasurably that he has an ace in the hole in the form of BBC superstar Gervais. This man just isn’t funny, he’s downright laugh-a-second hysterical. His comebacks and asides are some of the most pointedly witty and hilarious I’ve had the good fortune to experience in ages, while his absolute fearlessness in bringing Bertram’s uncooth demeanor and almost unforgivable lack of social caring to the surface is wonderfully commendable. Without question this one of the year’s finest comedic performances, audience members experiencing Gervais for the first time in for a treat almost beyond their wildest imaginations.

The film is too long, that must be stated. I also found that Kinnear, as good as he is in the role, got on my nervous maybe a bit faster then the character was maybe intended to. There is a bus gag straight out of Mean Girls that didn’t work for me in the slightest, while a requisite change of heart felt a tad too perfunctory and uninspired in order for me to admit to being completely satisfied.

Still, this is the best Leoni has been in ages, her effervescent crooked smile lighting up the movie theater. I also think that cinematographer Fred Murphy (Drillbit Taylor) does some excellent work here, while editor Sam Seig (The Heartbreak Kid) seamlessly moves things from one humorous vignette and aside to the next with dexterous ease. 

But it is Gervais who deserves the most accolades. This is one of those performances where you find yourself imaging the film without the star, and truth be told if that were the case I can pretty much say with absolute certainty I would not have cared for it had he not been there. With Gervais as the lead Ghost Town isn’t just a success, it’s a borderline smash, and it doesn’t take a near-death experience to notice. 

Film Rating: êêê (out of 4) 

Additional Links:

-  Ghost Town Theatrical Trailer