While growing up in days of yore, I loved the Topper movies. They were lighthearted, entertaining comedies featuring two sophisticated ghosts, played by Cary Grant and Constance Bennett, who communicated with Roland Young's stuffy title character. Ghost Town boasts the same spirited set-up while delivering an amusing and poignant story about love and loss. 

In this new movie, dentist Bertram Pincus (Ricky Gervais) -- who’s more anti-social than stuffy -- “passed on” for a few minutes during a routine medical procedure after requesting a general anesthetic. As a result, he’s the only living person ghosts can communicate with. Poor Bertram! These ghosts are quite persistent, for they each left some unfinished business behind and need Bertram to help take care of it. Greg Kinnear portrays Frank Herlihy, the most insistent spirit, a former philanderer who persuades Bertram to try and break up his wife’s (Téa Leoni) upcoming marriage to a man (Billy Campbell) he hates. When Bertram himself gets involved in a surprising relationship with Gwen, the plot thickens.  

Gervais (from TV’s Extras) and Kinnear (Little Miss Sunshine) play off each other brilliantly here. They make their characters quite believable as extreme opposites. Gervais endows Bertram with an appealing shyness despite his anti-social behavior, and Kinnear lends Frank an air of confidence that’s almost too overbearing. Ironically, it’s Frank who’s concealing more than Bertram, but our hero also harbors secrets of his own.

As Gwen, Leoni (Fun with Dick and Jane) turns in a beautifully nuanced performance. She convinces us that the more her character gets to know Bertram, the more she likes him. However, getting to know this strange dentist isn’t easy. In fact, he wouldn’t even give her the time of day before Frank entered the picture, so Gwen starts out with a very negative opinion of him. Watching the growth of their feelings for each other emerges as the highlight of Ghost Town for me. It’s also a treat to see how Bertram changes, comes out of his shell, and starts caring about others as a result of his contact with Gwen.    

A different romantic comedy like this one is so refreshing! Directed and co-written by the very talented David Koepp (Secret Window, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), Ghost Town tickles the funny bone while also reminding us of the important things in life.

Remember, dear reader, be good to your loved ones every day, for someone like Bertram may not be around if you need help in the afterlife.

(Released by Paramount Pictures and rated “PG-13” for some strong language, sexual humor and drug references.)

For more information about Ghost Town, please go to the Internet Movie Data Base or Rotten Tomatoes website.