Gervais' acting raises overall quality of 'Ghost Town'

Ricky Gervais is a genius.

He's established this already, through television series he's created -- the original version of "The Office" is surely one of the best things the medium has ever offered, and "Extras," which also was brilliant.

He reaffirms his status with his performance in "Ghost Town." The material isn't up to the standards of his own creations -- David Koepp directed and co-wrote the film. In an unusual outing for Gervais, he is just a star for hire. But he was definitely the right star to hire.

On the surface, "Ghost Town" is a cute, sweet romantic comedy with supernatural trappings. Fairly pedestrian, right? And it even features Greg Kinnear in a major role. Could a movie sound more generic?

Yet it's Gervais -- as a self-centered New York dentist who can see dead people -- who elevates the film. He's not exactly central-casting romantic-lead material, but he compensates for it with a sense of humor that makes him immensely likable, giving "Ghost Town" the boost it requires to rise above mediocrity.

Kinnear plays Frank, a rich, selfish man cheating on his wife. He is promptly killed, and he returns as a ghost, still dressed in his tux, wandering New York with the rest of the dead-but-not-yet-gone crowd (which is evidently quite large).

Eventually Frank will come into contact with Gervais' Bertram Pincus, who is perfectly content to be self-contained, seeing patients in his office, then walking next door to his immaculate, soulless apartment. He goes in for a routine colonoscopy, after which he suddenly starts seeing dead people (including Frank).

Turns out he had one of those dead-for-a-few-moments experiences, explained with hilarious distraction by his doctor (a hilarious Kristen Wiig), with lawyer in tow. Thus, the ability to see ghosts.

And there's the meddling from Frank, who wants Bertram to break up the impending marriage between his widow, Gwen (Tea Leoni), and the alarmingly serious Richard (Billy Campbell). Bertram's willing to try, in exchange for being left alone by Frank and all the other dead people (they need him to help with their unfinished business before they can move on). But he's such a misanthrope, truly clueless when it comes to dealing with anyone whose mouth he doesn't have his dental instruments inserted into, that it's tough sledding.

Yet for all of Gervais' yeoman work to make "Ghost Town" a movie worth seeing (a task at which he ultimately succeeds), in the end it just whets your appetite for the next project he creates.

By Bill Goodykoontz / Gannett News Service

Ghost Town

Rating: 3 stars (ouf of four)

Cast: Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear, Kristen Wiig, Tea Leoni, Billy Campbell.

Running time: 102 minutes.

Rated: PG-13; some strong language, sexual humor and drug references.