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Ghost Town Review

Release Date: Sep 19, 2008
Rated: strong language, sexual humor and drug references
Runtime: 1 hr. 43 min.
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Director:David Koepp
Cast:Ricky Gervais, Téa Leoni, Greg Kinnear, Billy Campbell, Dana Ivey. Full cast + crew

Movies.com Critics

4.5

Dave White Profile <h3>Dave White</h3> <p><strong>Your Movies.com Man at the Multiplex</strong></p> <br /> <p>Dave White's first movie review was of the animated feature Snoopy Come Home. He was seven years old...<a href="http://www.movies.com/movie-reviews/dave-white">Read full profile</a></p>

It’s perfectly pleasant, often funny (until it slows down for the inevitable soul searching everyone’s forced to do)... Read full review

Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

4.0

72

out of 100

Metascore^®
Generally favorable reviews
based on a weighted average of all
critic review scores.
60

out of 100

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern
Eventually, though, Ghost Town buckles beneath the weight of contrivance -- so many ghosts to dispel, so many lessons to learn.

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67

out of 100

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum
Diverting enough, but it's also the kind of high-concept studio concoction Ricky Gervais might have ridiculed in his great backstage-showbiz sitcom "Extras."

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75

out of 100

USA Today Claudia Puig
A good-natured and engaging fantasy/romantic comedy in the tradition of "Heaven Can Wait" or even "Topper."

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88

out of 100

Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips
A welcome surprise: a supernatural romantic comedy that works, graced with a cast just off-center enough to make it distinctive.

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90

out of 100

The Hollywood Reporter Michael Rechtshaffen
A winning mix of sharp comedy and touching bits that keeps the laughter -- a few tears -- flowing.

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See all Ghost Town reviews at Metacritic.com

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For Families provided by Common Sense Media

OK for kids 13+

Comedy is sweet, but a little short on romance.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that, overall, the content of this sweet romantic comedy is tamer than not. There are some allusions to infidelity (though viewers don't see it happening), a bit of social drinking, a few jokes about prescription drug abuse, and some fairly infrequent swearing (including "f--k" and "s--t"), but there's no nudity, and the film has an upbeat, hopeful message in the end. That said, one of the main character is a ghost, and some of the discussions about death might be upsetting for young or particularly sensitive kids.

Families can talk about the movie's message. What point is it making about how to live life while you can? What does Bertram learn from the ghosts? Is his transformation believable? Families can also discuss how this movie compares to other romantic comedies. Can you think of any movies it's similar to?

The good stuff

Messages: Portrays a heartfelt transformation of a malcontent into a giving person. But before he changes, he's quite nasty: He's rude to patients, colleagues, and neighbors. At first, a man seems cavalier about his infidelity. There's a plot to deceive a woman, though there's some remorse after it happens.

What to watch for

Violence: Buses hit people head-on, but viewers don't see any gore. Some discussion about how certain people have died. Some yelling.
Sex: A man talks about having a mistress, but viewers don't see them together. Some jokes about a mummy's private parts; one of the minor ghosts is naked, but nothing sensitive is shown.
Language: Not particularly frequent use, but some strong words, including "f--k," "s--t," "ass," and "goddamn."
Consumerism: Signage for New York City buses, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bulgari. One character holds a BlackBerry and talks of it wistfully.
Drinking, drugs and smoking: Some discussion of prescription drugs and jokes about abusing them. Some social drinking.

Common Sense Media

An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology.

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Fan Reviews provided by

Average Rating: 3.665

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