It has Ricky Gervais, Louis C.K. (the best stand-up comic working) and Jennifer Garner - how could this stink?

Well, probably pretty easily. Let's see, the hook is simple enough, in a universe where everyone always tells the truth one man (Gervais) invents lying. This means the film is structurally about morality. Is lying wrong? When it is acceptable to lie? So on and so forth. Looking at the cast list, looking at the folks who developed the film, considering the film industry's track record on making definitive moral statements, I'm left thinking this probably isn't going to leave audiences with a good message.

But that's me. I could be wrong.*



Word is that there is a deep anti-religious message waiting for audiences at the end of the film. You know, cuz religion is all a lie - get it? Sure. You know, cuz a bunch of film makers and actors say so, cuz they got it all figured out. I know when I have complex metaphyscial questions I confer the closest actor, because someone who spends their life pretending to be other people is always a reliable choice.

Let's do a quick unpacking of their proposal. If religion is a lie and by extension God Himself is a lie, then the universe is a soup of random, nonsensical reactions with no inherent worth beyond the whimsical meanings we place on things. Therefore, all understanding is a matter of perspective rooted in our temporary perspectives. So, the concepts of telling the truth and lying are irrelevant given that there is no such thing as actual truth or actual falsehood. Since this is the case, Gervais and company have no grounds to attack my belief in God. Their non-belief negates their standing to have a voice given that their belief negates the relevance of their voice. If I believe in God, and there is no God, your contention that I'm wrong is meaningless since in your truthless universe my stating there is a God is as valid as you saying He's not there. So, shut up. Have a nice day.



Screenwriters: Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson
Directors: Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson
Actors: Jonah Hill (Superbad), Jennifer Garner (13 Going on 30), Jason Bateman (Smokin’ Aces), Tina Fey (Mean Girls), Patrick Stewart (Jeffrey), Jeffrey Tambor (The Hangover), Ricky Gervais (Ghost Town), Louis C.K., and Christopher Guest (This is Spinal Tap)

* - I'm not wrong.

Labels: Christopher Guest, film, Jason Bateman, Jeffrey Tambor, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, movie trailer, Patrick Stewart, Rickey Gervais

My advice is to watch the first twenty or so minutes of this movie and then walk away if you something else to do. The movie opens with Bertram Pincus D.D.S. (Ricky Gervais) a detestable, anti-social, crank struggling through the frustrations of his life. All he wants is to not be bothered - ever. We follow Pincus as he deals with patients at his dental office and then an incompetent surgery staff at a hospital. Throughout the opening scenes, Gervais shines giving what I believe to be the best comedic performance I've seen in a great long while. He has a talent for sarcasm and he's given prime material to display his skill...for twenty minutes. Gervais' Pincus is a perfectly defined and delivered character but he is drowned out by a clattering plot.

Pincus dies, at least for a while, on the operating table. After his brush with death he discovers he is able to see ghosts. Yes, the story echos of The Sixth Sense. Soon he is being chased around New York as the dead seek to get him to do favors. Fronting the mob of the dead is Frank (Greg Kinnear,) a adulterous lout who wants help breaking up his widow's upcoming marriage. When this plot begins to move it overtakes what is otherwise an enjoyable movie. Writer/Director David Koepp (Spider-Man) is kept so busy managing his story that he has to sacrifice his characters. The issue is that the plot is contrived and has no energy on its own. Koepp is forced to push characters into situations and motivations in order to force things forward. The entire time I kept wanting the story to settle down so I could get more of Pincus reacting to the world. C'mon Dave, stop it! Can't you see your lead is doing something great here?

I know Gervais has been around a while and he's seems to be someone people love or hate. This was my introduction to his work and I am very impressed. He obviously has the goods. I hope he pulls this Bertram Pincus persona out in another production. In the right setting, he could really offer something great.

I do recommend this movie not because its a good movie. Honestly, on a technical level this fails. I recommend the film based on two performances. First Rickey Gervais is in command of his role and given better circumstances could have given a classic performance. The other notable performance comes Saturday Night Live's Kristen Wiig. Wiig has a supporting role as the mousy, insecure surgeon who oversees the operation that temporaily kills Pincus. There's an old saying in acting circles "there's no small roles". She proves the addage. She's only in a couple of scenes and is ultimately incidental to the plot but she is hilarious and makes a great deal from her role. Again, this is not a great movie, its not even a very good one. It is good comfort cinema and I guarantee you will laugh at a few times and that's more than you can say about most comedies these days.



Related Reviews:
Greg Kinnear movies
Unknown (2006)
As Good As it Gets (1997)


Other Critic’s Reviews:
Roger Ebert
The Critical Critics

Labels: comedy, film, Greg Kinnear, Kristen Wiig, movie review, Rickey Gervais, Tea Leoni

This looks like it could be good. Rickey Gervais plays Bertram Pincus, an anti-social dentist who briefly dies. Following his near-death experience he is able to see and speak to ghosts. Now he's stuck not only dealing with the living but now the needy dead as well. The basic concept isn't original but the casting is inspired and if this trailer is any indication, it appears to be well written.





Screenwriter: David Koepp (War of the Worlds), and John Kamps (The Borrowers)
Director: David Koepp (Secret Window)
Actors: Tea Leoni (Fun With Dick and Jane), Greg Kinnear (Unknown), and Rickey Gervais

Labels: film, Greg Kinnear, movie trailer, Rickey Gervais, Tea Leoni