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List Price: $19.99 | | Label: Dreamworks Video
Salesrank: 1330
Released: December 27, 2008 |
| Our Price: $12.21 |
| Used Price: $2.10 |
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 12/26/2008
Description of Ghost Town:
Ricky Gervais is brilliant in Ghost Town, playing an unnervingly rude dentist, Bertram, who dies for a few minutes during surgery and acquires the unwanted ability to see ghosts. Chased throughout Manhattan by a gaggle of restless spirits begging him to take care of their unfinished business on Earth, Bertram turns them all away except Frank (Greg Kinnear). The latter, a rogue who cheated on his archaeologist widow, Gwen (Téa Leoni), wants Bertram to intervene in a romance between Gwen and a starchy activist (Bill Campbell). Misanthropic Bertram has to polish his relationship patter, but ends up sounding a lot like Gervais' infamous character in the original The Office, unable to complete a sentence without making others uncomfortable. In time, of course, Bertram falls for the wonderful Gwen, setting up a bunch of overlapping conflicts. Cowritten and directed by David Koepp (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), Ghost Town walks a fine line between comic freshness and a story idea with elements that have become overly familiar in movies and on television. Kinnear and Leoni have never been better on screen, but Ghost Town is well worth seeing because no one like Gervais has previously played the hapless hero in a high-concept film such as this one. With Gervais doing his familiar, hilariously discomfiting thing, it really doesn't matter what kind of movie Ghost Town is. Happily, it's a pretty good film in every respect. --Tom Keogh
Stills from Ghost Town (Click for larger image)
Ghost Town Reviews:
This tear is for you 
2009-10-25 - This is a great comedy. Actually it is a coming of age movie and the Ghost Rules had changed.
I do not want to give a blow by blow detail of the story as that is what you are buying the DVD for and need some surprises. Be sure to watch the commentary afterwards and then the moving again armed with the knowledge of what is being portrayed.
Frank Herlihy (Greg Kinnear) a recently dispatched philandering husband still hangs around in the ether. Soon Bertram Pincus D.D.S. (Ricky Gravis) meets with an untimely "end" of sorts and is able to see dead people. So as tradition has it Frank recruits Bertram to protect Frank's widow from marrying what seems like an unseemly person. Naturally thing go awry. We cannot help from kibitzing. But we may also learn something in the process.
Fort the technically inclined I must admit I only say the Blu-ray version so I cannot comment on different media presentations. The commentary is with David Koll and Ricky Gervais. Aside from the standard three languages they have added Portuguese subtitles for some reason.
Topper / Topper Returns (Enhanced) 1941
Excellent movie
2009-10-13 - This movie is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. It's a story about life, love, and reality. It will make you glad, happy, and cry. Perfect ending. I wish I was the main actor.
Ghostly and Fun 
2009-10-13 - When it comes down to it Ghost Town is about a selfish man. A funny selfish man, but a selfish man nonetheless. Ricky Gervais plays Dr. Bertram Pincus (a name ripe for satire), a socially awkward misanthrope who loves being a dentist because people can't talk to him with a mouth full of cotton and tools. A job in the morgue might work for this guy except for some squeamishness on his part. Right from the opening scenes you understand that he's not the friendly sort as after being invited to an office party he sneaks out of the office rather than socialize with his coworkers.
After a medical "incident" involving a routine procedure he begins to see people no one else can and once these people realize this they won't leave him alone. The man that hates people suddenly has a whole city of ghosts who want his ear, his worst nightmare.
The main Ghost, so to speak, is Frank (Greg Kinnear), who manages to get the other Ghosts to leave Pincus alone (not 100% sure how but he's a persuasive man, errr ghost) in exchange for keeping his widow from marrying a jerk - well he thinks the human rights attorney / medical recruiter for third world countries / good Samaritan is a jerk anyway - is he? At any rate he thinks it's the reason he's still here as a ghost. Dr. Pincus has a plan that just may involve himself.
Ricky Gervais carries this movie so if you have a predisposition toward him that will likely influence your enjoyment of this film. If you've not experienced him this may be an introduction for you. For me I couldn't get enough of his Dr. Pincus. He plays this self centered man to a tee yet also gets across that he is a human, with feelings, and quite a wry sense of humor. He also is a master of the incomplete thought and of socially awkward situations. In one example he calls the woman he's trying to woo an idiot without skipping a beat in his sentence while she and the audience are astonished he's unaware he's done anything the matter.
But even while pursuing Gwen (Tea Leoni) he's in it only for himself. And he never once tries to help any of the pleading ghosts, only Frank because there's something in it for him (getting the other Ghosts off his back). It takes some tough love from Frank and a dentist colleague in conjunction with a hard loss to set him on a path to redemption. Once he begins helping and not being selfish he begins to learn how to be a human again. His realization later on as to why the ghosts are really still here is quite an emotional and unique take on the situation.
This is a comedy, yes, but it is also a drama and a well done one with feeling and emotion. Is it a romance? Yes, on a level it is, but it's much more a tale of redemption and this distinction makes the relationship between Pincus and Gwen all the more real.
It may be slow going for some folks, and it does take some time to ramp up, and it's not a laugh a minute riot either but this movie has balance in my eyes and has heart. I'd recommend it.
A Pleasant Surprise!
2009-10-13 - I wanted to see this movie ever since I discovered the genius of Ricky Gervais. He does not disappoint. It has been a long, long time since I have laughed out loud watching a romantic comedy. I laughed a lot during this one. It was charming and well written. I recommend it. It was worth every penny and I will watch it more than once.
Comedy with a message
2009-09-26 - The ending is what really makes this a special movie. That and Ricky Gervais. He's turning into the kind of comedy movie actor that Robin Williams has been in a number of films; a funny guy with a heart.
I don't want to spoil the ending but suffice it to say keep some Kleenex in your pockets!
The story plot is basically Gervais is an antisocial NYC dentist who's ok in crowds, he just doesn't want to deal with the individuals in it. Due to a hospital procedure he undergoes, he can now see the dead who need someone who can see/hear them to help them finish things off with the living. Once the dead spirits realize Gervais can see them, they follow him around pestering him to help them out.
One of them is Greg Kinnear who died while married to Tea Leoni who is now on the verge of marrying a new guy who Kinnear thinks is wrong for her. He wants Gervais to help break the engagement off.
Most of the characters end up being deeper than what they seem at the start of the movie. It's what elevates this from being a somewhat banal film. Also Gervais delivers some really witty lines throughout.
I saw this on cable TV.
