Ghost Town (2008) ***

This delightful comedy from director-screenwriter David Koepp (whose last dual foray was 2004's Secret Window) features Ricky Gervais, best known as the boss from hell from the BBC's The Office, in his feature film debut as a leading man. Dr. Betram Pincus (Gervais) goes in for a routine procedure, however complications with the anesthesia result is him being technically dead for several minutes. This occurrence has lead to his ability to see the ghosts that roam the streets of New York unable to cross over due to their unfinished business. Having spent his life avoiding the living at all costs, Dr. Pincus now finds himself hounded by the dead as he is the only one they can communicate their final wishes to. It's not a new story by any means, Dr. Pincus seeing dead people which serves as a catalyst for him to open up and become an actual person capable of caring for others feels like a cross between The Sixth Sense and As Good as It Gets, however, the film is able to overcome this familiarity with its bright sense of humor and its comedic little jabs at bits of everyday life.

Gervais was well suited to the leading role as he has perfected the hopeless exasperation required for the character of a man who just wants to be left alone and now unfortunately has another population vying for his specific attention. His performance comes as of as bit of a toned-down version of David Brent from The Office with his more negative qualities removed. From bits of dialogue to physical actions it's almost as if he's been lifted right out of that infamous series. He still manages to entertain however, and by removing those traits which made Brent such a heel and impossible to like, Dr. Pincus is someone the audience can sympathize with and hope that he will see the light (not the same light his new clients want to see) and make the changes in his life that are so desperately needed in order to overcome his fear of becoming close to someone again. Dr. Pincus is the textbook case of anti-social behavior who has allowed his fear to justify the need to keep everyone at arm's length. He prefers to be alone and not engage in the social customs people do every day without a second thought. He doesn't wish to chit-chat with his coworkers or show any common courtesy to someone else, such as holding the elevator doors. He has even picked an apartment next to his office so as to limit contact with as little of the population as possible.

Of course movie logic would dictate that this would be the man who would now be the only one who can see the dead and have social interaction forced onto him from this newly discovered population. It's interesting to think that Dr. Pincus couldn't possibly be the first person this has happened to, just considering how often people flat line on ER, and it's not even possible that in New York he would be the first person to see ghosts due to a near-death experience. But these concerns only come up after the credits have rolled and the time is taken to reflect back on what has been seen. It moves along at too brisk a pace, and certainly has its share of belly laughs to keep people amused and to ensure time isn't spent dwelling on potential plot holes. The change is Dr. Pincus' character was inevitable but his missions to deal with the unfinished business of the ghosts provide some of the most touching moments in the film. Despite its status as a comedy, there are moments of genuine emotion sprinkled throughout the film, particularly regarding Gwen's (Téa Leoni) loss of her husband, Frank (Greg Kinnear), and her budding relationship with Dr. Pincus.

What elevates Ghost Town above "been there, done that" status is its successful mixture of comedy with a story that at its core has real heart. Dr. Pincus' initial infatuation with Gwen, and his increasing affection for her as they spend more time together highlights the chemistry between Gervais and Leoni and the growth of their relationship is believable on its own and not just as a plot necessity. In a rare move, the two don't fall madly in love with each other and the status of their relationship is left ambiguous at the end, although there are strong signs they will still get together. This element proves that even in covering similar ground to previous films, Ghost Town tries its best to forge its own path and to tell a realistic story given the fantastic circumstances the characters find themselves in. It's these little moments of real life that give the film a more grounded nature when the plot could have easily devolved into slapstick. Does this mean the film takes itself too seriously and tries to be renegade in a system of conformity? Not at all, the writers are simply telling the story they want, and have given a surprisingly adult love story a veneer of comedy and it's not the juvenile antics that are usually seen in comedic films today.

Favorite moment: Returning to the hospital where he received his routine procedure, Dr. Pincus is hoping to get some answers about why he is being chased by ghosts that insist only he can see them. Unwilling to go into details about what occurred during the procedure, the Surgeon (Kristen Wiig) attempts to stall before asking Dr. Pincus to join her and the Hospital Lawyer (Michael-Leon Wooley) in her office where it is revealed that he died, albeit briefly, on the table. Not only providing an amusing satire of hospital politics in any effort to avoid being sued, it also is a great scene for Gervais who shows what he does best, continued frustrated attempts to get through to people who simply aren't telling him what he wants to hear. He got more laughs from me in this film than he got in every episode of The Office combined. This is only due to Dr. Pincus being a much more likable person than David Brent and not against Rickey Gervais whatsoever.