A strong formula comedy that gets an extra jolt of originality from an improvisatory performance by Ricky Gervais.

Gervais plays a Manhattan dentist with an over-sensitive gag reflex who hates people. When he accidentally dies for seven minutes during a routine medical procedure, he finds upon waking that he can see and converse with dead people, who want his help in finishing up unresolved business. One of these, a smarmy, cheating husband (played by Greg Kinnear) wants him to help prevent his widow (Tea Leoni) from marrying a guy he doesn't like. Guess what...Gervais falls in love with her himself.

There's a lot of standard obligatory plot in "Ghost Town" that's specific to the genre: we have to sit through the requisite scenes of Gervais thinking he's going crazy because he can see dead people; he and Leoni have a falling out when she thinks he's tricking her just to get close to her, etc. But the acting is so good, especially from Gervais and Leoni, who absolutely lights up the screen whenever she's on it, that it's easy to forget we've seen much of this before.

One of my favorite parts of the film was the brief but hilarious performance of Kristen Wiig, who plays Gervais's doctor. You may remember her as Kathryn Heigle's passive-aggressive colleague in "Knocked Up," and though she always does the same schtick, she makes me laugh every time.

Grade: A-

What really made this rather familiar story work for me was British comedian Ricky Gervais in the part of a grouchy NY dentist who starts seeing ghosts after he has a peculiar mishap during a routine colonoscopy. This is a lightweight comedy/drama/love story with elements that we've seen plenty of times before, but as I said I thought Gervais made all the difference, and it's his picture entirely. Had the part been played by Adam Sandler, Jim Carey, or some other over-exposed celebrity, it wouldn't have been as effective. Greg Kinnear is really an afterthought here as a dead man who keeps appealing to Gervais to help break up the inevitable wedding of his widow (Tea Leoni). *** out of ****

Frank (Greg Kinnear) barely escapes from getting crushed by a falling AC unit only to be run over by a bus. Bertram Pincus (Ricky Gervais) is a reclusive dentist in NYC. He has a routine colonoscopy under general anesthesia, and when he wakes up, he finds that he can see dead people. Gwen (Téa Leoni) is Frank's widow and Pincus' neighbor. She is about to remarry a Richard (Billy Campbell),and Frank wants Pincus to stop it.

This is a fairly low energy comedy especially with Kristen Wiig. She's got this stuttering halting timing. Their little exchange is a bit of fun. After that, the comedy is oddly uncomfortable. Frank actually cheated on Gwen. Pincus is a people hating jerk. And Gwen doesn't like Pincus. None of them have any chemistry. No matter how hard they try to make Pincus human, I can't see Gwen with him. Gwen falling for Pincus is just a Hollywood fiction.

Some of the ghosts are kinda funny. The naked one has some especially funny moments. The trio's split does make it better. At least, it's logical. Only after the trio split up does Pincus get down to the business of actual personal growth. The last 30 minutes is where the movie gets right. The lesson learned is truly touching. Only then does the trio make sense.