GHOST TOWN

"You died for seven minutes"

Bertram Pincus (Gervais) just wants to be left alone. He never interacts with anyone and he avoids conversation but when he dies for seven minutes during a routine operation he awakes to find he has an unusual gift. Now as he walks through the streets of New York, finds that he can see and talk to ghosts but one ghost in particular just won't go away. His name is Frank (Kinnear) and he needs Bertram to do something for him. Make his widow Gwen (Leoni) fall out of love with her new fiancé Richard (Campbell).

After conquering America on the small screen in 'The Office' and 'Extras', Ricky Gervais moves from comedic supporting actor on the big screen to leading man but can he cope?

Ricky Gervais is quickly becoming one of Britain's most recognised comedic faces around the world but it is in America where the star has been embraced wholeheartedly. Both of his short-lived but comedy classic shows on the BBC, 'The Office' and 'Extras' have been huge successes in the US, gaining him and writing partner Stephen Merchant numerous plaudits and awards. With 'The Office' transformed into a smash-hit US version starring Steve Carell, Gervais now has time to move into motion pictures. After bit parts and supporting roles in 'Stardust', 'Night at the Museum' and 'For Your Consideration', Ricky Gervais gets the chance to be a leading man and he embraces the opportunity.

Co-written and directed by David Koepp, 'Ghost Town' is a twist on the 'I see dead people' plotline but with a comedic twist. Here we have Bertram Pincus, a British dentist living and working in New York, who really doesn't like interacting with people. He lives by himself, hardly ever talks to patients or the people at his practice and just wants to be left alone but when a routine operation goes wrong and he 'dies' for seven minutes he awakes feeling a little different. Bertram starts seeing people that no one else can but when one of them, Frank Herlihy realises he see him, he starts talking to him and will not leave him alone. Thinking he is going mad, Bertram has to come to terms with the fact that ghosts are talking to him and they want him to finished their unfinished business.

Bertram Pincus is a character tailor made for Ricky Gervais' type of humour and comedy. It is easy to imagine the character not having any friends and shutting himself off from the world but you can also see him growing on you as the character realises that life has a lot to offer for those who want to embrace it. Greg Kinnear is also well cast as the recently deceased Frank Herlihy. He is the first ghost to pester Bertram into helping but his request is a little strange. He wants him to stop his ex-wife Gwen, played with fun by Téa Leoni, from getting married again. With support from Alan Ruck, Billy Campbell and Kristen Wiig, the cast do well with this whimsical tale.

'Ghost Town' might not be filled with laugh-out-loud moments but it still manages to raise plenty of smiles. Ricky Gervais is ideally cast and Greg Kinnear is always worth watching, making this a very likeable take on a well used formula.