What a big movie. I’m not generally a Ricky Gervais fan, not really enjoying The Office, but I thoroughly enjoyed his portrait of Dr Bertram Pincus, a city dentist. There have been scores of movies and series recently and complete the days where the star actor is capable to see ghosts and one such favourite of mine is the TV series Ghost Whisperer.

This movie has rather a few comedic moments, many are of the laugh-out-loud variety. I particularly enjoyed the scenes with the dog in the flat and afterward in the park. Hilarious. And please don’t get me started on the ‘member in the jar’ segment!

Dr. Bertram Pincus (Gervais) doesn’t like people very much. In fact, the antisocial dentist does everything he can to avoid interaction with other human beings. Unfortunately, he gets more than he bargained for when he is released from the hospital after undergoing a standard procedure: he can see dead people, and they can see him. 

Suddenly, every ghost in New York City wants Pincus to help clear up their unfinished business. Dapper Frank (Kinnear) is the most persistent ghost, badgering Pincus to help prevent his widow, Gwen (Leoni), from making a big mistake. 

Gervais is pure as Pincus, whose deadpan expressions make obvious his contempt for people. His comic timing is place on throughout the film. Kinnear makes Frank likable, not an easy feat since he obviously wasn’t such an upstanding guy when he was active and married to Leoni’s Gwen. 

Aasif Mandvi appears as a dentist sharing Gervais’s office, and Billy Campbell is Gwen’s new love interest. SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE star Kristen Wiig is a scene-stealer as Pincus’s surgeon, particularly when she is stressful to avoid telling her patient what went wrong during his procedure. Dana Ivey and Alan Ruck also look as ghosts in want of help.

This is a picture I can thoroughly recommend, well worth the cost of a ticket, or if you wish, to adopt or buy when the DVD is released.