Ghost Town

(12A) 102min

COMEDY/ROMANCE

Middle-aged ‘smock-wearing tooth jockey’ (dentist) Bertram Pincus (Ricky Gervais) is a hateful runt of a man. He lives a life as contained as it is misanthropic. After going into hospital for an endoscopy, Bertram starts to see dead people – one of whom, Frank (Greg Kinnear), is about to change Bertram’s life by introducing him to widower Gwen (Téa Leoni).

A-list US screenwriter David Koepp, the man responsible for the final drafts of Spider-Man and Indiana Jones IV, dons his occasional director cap (Stir of Echoes, The Secret Window) for this Manhattan-set interpretation of A Christmas Carol. The results are predictably bland but not without their merits. Giving his first feature film lead role proper (though sharing top billing with support Kinnear) Gervais is excellent. Through what was clearly an improvisational process he builds nuance and depth onto what must have appeared on paper to be a one-dimensional portrait of a social cripple. When he does what he can do well, he upgrades the film to something far more Jack Lemmon-esque and heartwarming. Also there are some great visual gags here (mostly borrowed from the Marx Brothers, but who cares?).

Unbelievable character arcs, bad writing and some really miserable pacing ultimately undo all the good work, of course. Ghost Town was a box office disaster in the US. European audiences may be kinder.

General release from Fri 24 Oct.

More: David Koepp, Ghost Town, Greg Kinnear, Ricky Gervais, Téa Leoni, Reviews (Film), Reviews (Comedy), Comedy (Film), Romance (Film)

Ghost Town

Date	Location
For this Manhattan-set interpretation of 'A Christmas Carol' Gervais plays middle-aged smock-wearing tooth jockey' (dentist) Bertram Pincus, a hateful runt of a man. After going into hospital for an endoscopy, Bertram starts to see dead people, one of whom, Frank (Kinnear), is about to change Bertram's life by introducing him to widower Gwen (Leoni). The results are predictably bland but not without their merits.
14 Nov–20 Nov 11.10am, 1.50, 4.25, 7.25 & 10.10; Fri & Sat 11.10am, 1.50, 4.25, 7.25, 10.10 & 0.30am	Showcase Cinema, Coatbridge, Glasgow
14 Nov–20 Nov 11.10am, 1.50, 4.25, 7.35 & 10.00; Fri & Sat 11.10am, 1.50, 4.25, 7.35, 10.00 & 0.20am	Showcase Cinema, Paisley, Paisley
14 Nov–20 Nov 12.40, 3.20, 6.00 & 8.50	Odeon: Braehead, Renfrew
14 Nov–20 Nov 12.50, 3.30, 6.00 & 8.40; Sun 10.10am, 12.50, 6.00 & 8.40; Tue 12.50, 3.30 & 8.40; Sat 10.10am, 12.50, 3.30, 6.00 & 8.40	Vue Inverness, Inverness
14 Nov–20 Nov 1.10, 3.45, 6.10 & 8.45	Odeon Dunfermline, Dunfermline
14 Nov–20 Nov 1.20, 3.50, 6.20 & 8.40	Empire Clydebank, Clydebank
14 Nov–20 Nov 1.40, 4.10, 6.35 & 9.00; Sun 11.10am, 1.40, 4.10, 6.35 & 9.00	Cineworld Falkirk, Falkirk
14 Nov–20 Nov 1.50, 4.30 & 6.50; Sat & Sun 11.40am, 1.50, 4.30 & 6.50	Vue Hamilton, Hamilton
14 Nov–20 Nov 2.30, 5.50 & 8.30; Sat & Sun 8.30	Cineworld Parkhead, Glasgow
14 Nov–20 Nov 2.45, 5.15 & 7.45	Odeon Wester Hailes, Edinburgh
14 Nov–20 Nov Sat 10.10am, 12.40, 3.00, 5.40, 8.20 & 10.50; Sun 10.10am, 12.40, 3.00, 5.40 & 8.20; Fri 3.00, 5.40, 8.20 & 10.50; 3.00, 5.40 & 8.20	Vue Edinburgh Ocean, Edinburgh
14 Nov–20 Nov 3.10, 5.40 & 8.30; Sat & Sun 12.40, 3.10, 5.40 & 8.30	Odeon East Kilbride, East Kilbride
14 Nov–20 Nov Fri 3.40, 6.30 & 9.10; Sat 12.50, 3.40, 6.30 & 9.10; Sun 12.20, 3.10, 5.50 & 8.30; Mon–Thu 3.10, 5.50 & 8.30	Odeon Kilmarnock, Kilmarnock
14 Nov–20 Nov 3.45, 6.25 & 8.45	Vue Aberdeen, Aberdeen
14 Nov–20 Nov 1.30, 3.50, 6.15 & 8.30; Fri 3.50, 6.15, 8.30 & 10.45; Sat 1.30, 6.15, 8.30 & 10.45; Tue 1.30, 3.50 & 8.30	Odeon Dundee, Dundee
14 Nov–20 Nov 4.00 & 9.00	Vue Livingston, Livingston
14 Nov–20 Nov 5.40 & 8.00; Sat & Sun 2.10, 5.40 & 8.00	The Waterfront, Greenock
14 Nov–20 Nov 6.00 & 8.30	Cineworld Aberdeen, Aberdeen
14 Nov–20 Nov Fri–Sun & Thu 6.15 & 8.40; Tue 8.40	Cineworld Edinburgh, Edinburgh
14 Nov–20 Nov Fri–Sun, Wed & Thu 6.40 & 9.20; Mon & Tue 9.20	Cineworld Renfrew Street, Glasgow
14 Nov–20 Nov 8.10	The Pavilion, Galashiels
14 Nov–20 Nov 8.40	Odeon Ayr, Ayr

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