Overview
A man with no social skills finds himself caught between the living and the dead, leading to unexpected romance.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- deadpan
- breezy
- date night
- lazy sunday
What critics said
Critics broadly found the mainstream romantic comedy endearing and funny, with Ricky Gervais's sharp, dry performance elevating its familiar supernatural premise.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Bertram Pincus responds to ghosts and romantic demands with irritated detachment, while Ricky Gervais plays the absurd circumstances straight.
Frank Herlihy's ghost pressures Pincus to interfere with Gwen's impending marriage, linking the afterlife directly to romantic reconciliation.
Pincus begins with almost no people skills but is pushed into helping ghosts and confronting the emotional consequences of Gwen's relationship.
The ghostly premise carries themes of dying, widowhood, and unfinished business without displacing the film's gentle romantic comedy register.
Films like Ghost Town, and why
The Sixth Sense
Shares the romantic comedy format, deadpan humor, supernatural premise, and emotionally redemptive character arc.
Truly, Madly, Deeply
Combines a contemporary romance with ghosts, bittersweet humor, and a protagonist transformed by contact with the dead.
Defending Your Life
Uses absurdist fantasy, dry wit, and an emotionally guarded protagonist to explore love and personal change.
Just Like Heaven
Comparable for its urban romantic comedy framework, offbeat supernatural element, and themes of grief and second chances.
Movie Details
- Director
- David Koepp
- Release Date
- 2008-09-19
- Runtime
- 102 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (1116)
Cast
- Ricky Gervais
- Greg Kinnear
- Téa Leoni
- Billy Campbell
- Aasif Mandvi
- Dana Ivey
- Kristen Wiig
- Michael-Leon Wooley
- Alan Ruck
- Jordan Carlos
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Ghost Town about?
- An antisocial New York dentist becomes an unwilling intermediary between the dead and the living when a ghost recruits him to disrupt his widow’s impending marriage.
- What is Ghost Town like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Ghost Town as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Ghost Town violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Ghost Town.
- What did critics think of Ghost Town?
- Critics broadly found the mainstream romantic comedy endearing and funny, with Ricky Gervais's sharp, dry performance elevating its familiar supernatural premise.
- Which films are like Ghost Town?
- Films with a similar feel include The Sixth Sense, Truly, Madly, Deeply, Defending Your Life, and Just Like Heaven.
- How long is Ghost Town?
- Ghost Town runs 102 minutes.
- Where can I watch Ghost Town?
- In United States, Ghost Town streams on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus.
