When you go to the dentist’s office, you picture an outgoing and friendly doctor who embraces your company as he pokes around and examines your teeth for the next hour. However, in the film “Ghost Town,” Dr. Bertram Pincus (Ricky Gervais) is quite different than this conceptual image. He is an intellectual loner who enjoys his job not because of the people he meets but the peace and quiet he obtains by placing an array of tools in his patient’s mouth. Bertram is not one for conversation and goes out of his way to avoid co-workers and fellow residents at his apartment building. Bertram has an aggressively sharp, oddball sense of humor which carries with him throughout the film.
Although successful in his avoidance and isolation, Bertram is forced to associate with others after a near death experience leaves him in connection with those already deceased, who roam the streets of Manhattan looking to resolve unfinished business in order to move on from this world to the next. In particular, Frank (Greg Kinnear) is a man who dies in the beginning of the film and distinguishes himself from the other ghosts who hound Bertram for help. This relationship between Bertram and Frank leads to a deal in which Frank promises to talk to the other ghosts and keep them from seeking out Bertram only if Bertram assists him in breaking up his former wife, Gwen (Tea Leoni), and her new fiancée.
This agreement between the two men leads them both on a journey to discovering what it means to truly live and move on. Gwen, an archeologist with a special interest in Egyptian mummies, entrances Bertram when he first hears her intellectually speak with conviction and passion at a presentation. However, he learns that she is a tenant at his apartment building and his rude prior encounters with her are recalled by Gwen when they meet afterwards. This provides the first example of where Bertram recognizes his fault in living selfishly for himself without any courtesy for others.
As the film progresses, it does so with the great charisma of its starring roles, Gervais, Kinnear and Leoni, who’s on-screen chemistry bolster the film and complement its witty, humorous and meaningful script well. The plot thickens and develops without overdoing the emphasis on the ghost crowd that follows Bertram and also holds a strong balance between humor and an undertone of sentimentality. Its original point of view and revelations keep the audience fully engaged and involved in the film.
Another successful aspect of the film is in its unique subtle play on low key actions and comments. For instance, when someone sneezes, it signifies that a ghost has just walked through their body. This creative reasoning for sneezing is displayed at various moments in the film. Moreover, the subtle comedic exchanges between characters craft a clever and spontaneous atmosphere which allows for the characters, lead and supporting roles, to thrive off of one another.
Overall, the film has a distinct presence which flourishes from the in-depth performances of its leading cast members. The audience follows along as humor serves as the foundation for which important life lessons are to be learned and conceived as its hilarious yet thought provoking journey concludes. |
