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Friday, October 3, 2008

Ghost Town was not what I expected from Gervais

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I would go to the Dentist way more if it were Ricky Gervais.


It’s always been very hip and trendy to be a fan of British Comedies. I have tried to avoid making such attempts at vanity. Therefore I haven’t really loved a comedy from England since Monty Python. Then a few years ago I was told that I needed to watch this show called “The Office”. Within a few minutes, I had fallen in love. Anyone that reads this blog is aware that I am referring to the original version from the creator and star Ricky Gervais.

His follow up to the two seasons of “The Office” was two seasons of “Extras”, a show about an actor trying to make it and doing extra work to put food on the table. It is equally funny and convinced me that there was something great about Gervais. From what I had seen in interviews, he was not enchanted with Hollywood and saw himself as a writer. He refused to go the route of Dane Cook. (“Employee of the Month”, “Good Luck Chuck”) He wanted to write projects and make the formula instead of forcing himself into roles that only fit his name.

I was surprised when I heard he was staring in “Ghost Town”. This film has some great elements like Greg Kinnear, Tea Leoni, and writer turned director David Koepp. Koepp is Steven Spielberg’s go to writer, whose credits include Jurassic Park, Spider-Man & the latest Indiana Jones. Unfortunately, no one reaches their full potential in “Ghost Town”. It was fairly simple, predictable and uneventful. Kinnear never really had a shinning moment. Leoni was fun to watch and made me wonder why she doesn’t make more movies, she’s so likeable.

Gervais was certainly the right fit for the movie, playing a snooty dentist. But with the bar so high, I don’t think the movie was the right fit for Gervais. It felt like he had a few moments to just be him and the rest of the movie was just filled with predictable dialogue that moved the story along. Gervais did fine in this part but it did take him off the pedestal I’d put him on. As for a recommendation, I would wait for the DVD and rent it if you’re at the Redbox and there isn’t anything else that you and your significant other can agree on. You will get a chuckle or two but won’t be blown away as if you were watching one of Gervais’ own creations.

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