Ghost Town

Bertram Pincus, a cranky, people-hating Manhattan dentist, develops the unwelcome ability to see dead people.
Year: 2008
Genre: Comedy Drama
Runtime: 1h 42m
Character: Irish Eddie
Movie poster for Ghost Town

Synopsis

In this charming romantic comedy with a supernatural twist, Bertram Pincus (Ricky Gervais) is a socially awkward Manhattan dentist who prefers solitude over human interaction. His carefully isolated life is disrupted when a routine medical procedure leaves him clinically dead—for seven minutes. Upon his return, he discovers an unsettling new ability: he can see and communicate with ghosts.

These spirits, still tethered to the living world by unfinished business, constantly pester Pincus for help. Among them is Frank Herlihy (Greg Kinnear), a recently deceased businessman who insists that Pincus prevent his widow, Gwen (Téa Leoni), from marrying a man he believes to be untrustworthy. Reluctantly drawn into Frank’s scheme, Pincus begins to fall for Gwen himself, leading him to confront his own emotional detachment and rediscover the meaning of connection and compassion.

Reviews

Ghost Town is a lightweight romantic comedy elevated by its performances. Ricky Gervais plays the role not as a clown but as a man who is truly lonely and awkward, and because he plays it straight, it’s funny. The movie works not because it’s a ghost story but because it’s a human story.”
Roger Ebert

Ghost Town isn’t a masterpiece, but it’s quite amiable, quite pleasant, a little above average. It doesn’t change the world or challenge expectations, yet it’s good-natured and amusing — the kind of film that leaves you smiling more than you’d expect.”
100films.co.uk

“Smartly supernatural, and featuring sensational performances by Ricky Gervais and Tea Leoni, Ghost Town is a ‘Topper’ for our times.”
Variety