The Quarantine Stream: ‘Ghost Town’ Makes Ricky Gervais Endearing In A RomCom From ‘Spider-Man’ Writer
By Ethan Anderton/June 28, 2020 11:00 am EST
There have been a variety of romances featuring ghosts over the years, but none have brought such a refreshing take on the afterlife as Ghost Town. David Koepp, along with writer John Kamps, gives us a movie that not only delivers a heartfelt new approach to the idea of ghosts having unfinished business, but a funny romance between two unlikely neighbors, and they don’t even have the typical cool big city jobs that all romantic comedies seem to have.
It’s a little hard to imagine that there would be any chemistry between him and Téa Leoni, but the actress somehow makes it work, and Gervais has mastered the art of being simultaneously awkward and flirty, which ends up making him rather likeable. Making things even more unique and interesting is the fact that one of the ghosts that Ricky Gervais’ character is talking to is Téa Leoni’s former flame, played by Greg Kinnear, and the dynamic between them makes for some great comedy.
Initially, Ricky Gervais isn’t doing anything more than what he normally does. He’s stand-offish, anti-social, and generally bothered by everyone around him. That makes him the worst person to have a near-death experience that suddenly gives him the ability to see and talk to ghosts, and they just won’t leave him alone. But as the movie goes in, that cold, harsh exterior starts to melt away and Gervais slowly becomes a charming presence.
This is one of those movies that you’ll be pleasantly surprised by, and it may even pull at your heartstrings in addition to tickling your funny bone. Few fantasy romance premises like this have worked so well, and it’s kind of incredible how firmly this one sticks the landing, right down to the movie’s clever final line.
