Drop Dead Funny? (film only) (Ghost Town (DVD))

Member Name: jasminesarah

Product:	Ghost Town (DVD)
Date:	11/01/09 (178 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Funnier than average rom-com (no zombies, but some ghosts)

Disadvantages: Gervais' humour is clearly watered down

Ghost Town is all about Ricky Gervais. Ok, there are other people in it, Tea Leonie is one of them, but to find out who the others are I've had to look the film up. (Greg Kinnear and Billy Campbell, in case anyone cares.) The point is that they are all fairly forgettable and could have been interchanged with any one of dozens of pappy white bread Hollywood actors. Not a single one of them lends anything in terms of plot, drama, or most importantly comedy - the film is carried entirely by Gervais.

No pressure then. I wasn't desperate to see this film, I'm not a fan of Hollywood and I tend to be a bit cynical (who, me?) - I'm not amused in the slightest by the usual Hollywood offerings, don't bring me Jim Carey and keep Adam Sandler well away from me for his own safety. However, when I was offered tickets to see this film at preview I though 'Oh, go on then'. Low expectations, I think, are the key to enjoying a lot of films - and indeed life. I didn't think this would be all that great, and actually I enjoyed it.

Gervais's character, a morose dentist, is basically a variation on the only character Gervais plays. He doesn't have the pathos of David Brent, but is just as self serving, as well as misanthropic, selfish and self contained. This is Hollywood, so we know that he has been damaged by life events and at some point in the film a life affirming new event (probably a blonde, let's face it) will occur and save him from himself.

It is a self consciously 'kooky' plot - dentist Bertrum Pincus (Gervais) accidentally becomes able to see ghosts, who harass him. He grumpily ignores them, and the very obvious course that he need to take in order to be free of them forever, right up until the happy ending. I saw a review that said it wasn't clear what Gervais has to do until late in the film - to me it was blatantly clear, right from the first moment he sees the ghosts. There are no surprises, this film plays it completely safe. It is a soppy ending, be warned, but I do think that it (just about) gets away with it.

If you are a fan of Ricky Gervais' razor sharp stand up, or his uber-successful sit coms, you might be disappointed, because Hollywood has taken the edge out of Gervais, and included only a skinny decaf version more appropriate to the US palate. If you don't like his TV work - maybe this cuddlier, watered down version will appeal. The film IS funny, laugh out loud funny according to much of the audience I saw it with. At times the script is painfully slow and laboured, but Gervais does his level best, and on balance he does manage to drag this average romantic comedy up a notch or two to make it worth watching.

As far as rom-coms go, this is a great one, funny and sharp - ideal Saturday evening viewing with a bucket of pop corn. As far as Ricky Gervais' career stands, this will not be an embarrassment to him. Personally I hope he has greater control over scripts he is involved with in the future, I'm sure he could have written the pants off this script.

Summary: Definitely worth a look!