Ghost Town (2008)
Average Rating: 6.9/10
Reviews Counted: 179
Fresh: 152 | Rotten: 27
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.
Average Rating: 6.7/10
Critic Reviews: 40
Fresh: 33 | Rotten: 7
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.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.3/5
User Ratings: 430,837
My Rating
Movie Info
Ricky Gervais and Greg Kinnear star in director David Koepp's fantasy comedy concerning Bertram Pincus, a dentist who gains the ability to communicate with the dead after momentarily dying during a routine medical procedure. When the dearly departed begin requesting favors from Dr. Pincus, the self-absorbed dentist finds that living with ghosts isn't easy. Fortunately, recently deceased businessman Frank Herlihy (Greg Kinnear) agrees to keep the dead at bay if Dr. Pincus will just agree to
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Cast
-
Ricky Gervais
Bertram Pincus -
Téa Leoni
Gwen -
Greg Kinnear
Frank Herlihy -
Billy Campbell
Richard -
Dana Ivey
Marjorie -
Aasif Mandvi
Dr. Prashar -
Kristen Wiig
surgeon -
Alan Ruck
ghost dad -
Betty Gilpin
WWII nurse -
Brian d'Arcy James
Irish Eddie -
Brian Tarantina
ghost cop -
Carlos Jordan
young husband -
Dequina Moore
young wife -
Joe Badalucco
accident bystander -
Brian Hutchinson
accident bystander -
Tyree Simpson
sneezy cop -
Julia Murney
sneezy lady -
Claire Lautier
Upper East Side lady -
Bridget Moloney
receptionist
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Ghost Town Trailer & Photos
All Critics (184) | Top Critics (41) | Fresh (157) | Rotten (28) | DVD (9)
It is alternately tender, sad and smart. It's also very funny.
Top CriticThis just kind of fell flat.
Enjoyable as it is to see Gervais trying (and often succeeding) to make something of the mediocre dialogue, it's not enough.
Naturally, Koepp makes it his business to redeem this unpleasant character and recast him as an acceptable stand-in for a romantic lead. But cynics should not despair; it's not a complete makeover.
It's enlivened by the performance of Ricky Gervais as Bertram Pincus, a latter-day Scrooge for whom the living are no less annoying than the dead.
The best part of the movie is watching Gervais and Leoni delight in each other in scenes that burst with spontaneity and genuine warmth.
The big screen's best use of the talents of the sarcastic, ever put-upon Mr. Gervais.
Dozens of other movies have romped on the same grass. But Gervais spritzes everything in Ghost Town with a delightfully refreshing comic mist.
The Town isn't as impressive as Affleck's directing debut, 2007's Gone Baby Gone, but he handles the action scenes with brutal efficiency and gets terrific performances from his co-stars.
Yes, there are gags about mummy penises and canine halitosis, but other sublime moments recall Albert Brooks' social-satire heyday. Given the otherworldly elements, David Koepp's "Ghost Town" sweetly hits the heights of Brooks' "Defending Your Life."
The pudgy Brit looks right at home here on the big screen, starring in a romantic comedy in which we're asked to believe he might have a chance with Tea Leoni. And you know what? He makes us believe.
Ghost Town is funny and moves along briskly, fulfilling the two most important qualities of a romantic comedy.
This is a good romantic comedy, and that is a genre that often gets messed up. Here, the old formula comes out just right.
Rises above expectations, even though it never quite shatters the genre mould.
Gervais' rapport with his equally enjoyable co-stars Greg Kinnear and Tea Leoni also keeps Ghost Town on solidly funny ground.
Gervais, Leoni (adorável) e Kinnear estabelecem uma boa dinâmica, elevando o roteiro convencional e divertindo mais do que o material conseguiria naturalmente.
Audience Reviews for Ghost Town
Super Reviewer
Not a bad film, just very plain n average, much like the effects and acting, all kinda nice but abit boring, shame.
Super Reviewer
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- WWII nurse: Come back soon.
- Bertram Pincus: What a terrible thing to say in a hospital.
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- Bertram Pincus: Did anything usual happen during my operation?
- surgeon: You... uh... died for seven minutes.
- Bertram Pincus: I died! For seven minutes!
- surgeon: We brought you right back. People die all the time.
- Bertram Pincus: Yeah, but it's usually just once... at the end.
-
- Bertram Pincus: Dr. Prashar - you're from a... scary country, right?
- Dr. Prashar: ...I'm from India...
- Bertram Pincus: But, you're not... Christian, like us?
- Dr. Prashar: ...I'm a Hindu...
- Bertram Pincus: Yeah. So, um, how would you extract information from a hostile?
- Dr. Prashar: Well... as a... Hindu person... I would just... ask him... politely...
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- Bertram Pincus: Listen, our time together, as we both know, has been rather unpleasant. But I will say this: even though you're a vulgar man - boorish, distasteful, uncouth, uneducated, *stupid* - at least... [long pause]
- Frank Herlihy: You gonna finish?
- Bertram Pincus: Done. [shrugs]
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- Bertram Pincus: [pointing at the dog] When did you get your horse?
- Gwen: A couple of months ago. I found him at this shelter in Long Island. They were gonna put him down.
- Bertram Pincus: Then they lost their nerve, did they?
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- Bertram Pincus: You lied. Why would you do that?
- Frank Herlihy: Because you're a heartless son-of-a-bitch who doesn't give a rat's ass about anyone but himself. She's already had one of those.
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Latest News on Ghost Town
November 14, 2008:
Ricky Gervais - RT's Dinner and the Movies Interview - Chapter 5We continue our series of extended interviews by spending an hour in the company of Britain's...
November 13, 2008:
Ricky Gervais - RT's Dinner and the Movies Interview - Chapter 4We continue our series of extended interviews by spending an hour in the company of Britain's...
November 12, 2008:
Ricky Gervais - RT's Dinner and the Movies Interview - Chapter 3We continue our series of extended interviews by spending an hour in the company of Britain's...
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Foreign Titles
- Wen die Geister lieben (DE)
- Ghost Town (2008) (CA)
