The thing is, I’m not much of a fan of romcoms. Not that I’m down on romance, but it’s a genre I find particularly tired, with a few laudable exceptions. Also, Ricky Gervais is someone who rates pretty high on my punchability scale, unsure whether his smugness is sincere or a joke and not liking what that tells me either way. Plus, he’s just gone on record as saying there hasn’t been a decent British film made since 1950, a statement that demonstrates a certain cockishness.

Put all that together, and it would seem that I’m unlikely to be in the target demographic for Ghost Town. So, it’s with some surprise that I’m here to tell you that it’s a very good film. Not earth shattering in any particular way, but a solid comedy proposition that has a curiously timeless appeal. I can easily imagine a version of it with James Stewart in the role that Gervais takes, as misanthropic dentist Bertram Pincus, whose heart slowly defrosts over the course of the story as one woman in particular helps warm him to people in general.

There’s a delightful supernatural element to this tale which gives the film its title. Pincus has a minor operation and technically dies during it for a few minutes. When he comes to, he can see ghosts. A city full of them, all wanting some of his time and attention so he can help them resolve whatever issues are keeping them earthbound. Not an original conceit admittedly, but as ever with these things it’s all about the execution, and the script — by the film’s director David Koepp and John Kamps — wrings maximum humour and emotion out of the idea.

Gervais is on strong form, his timing and physicality breathing convincing life into the emotionally dead dentist. Much of the story concerns the attempt by one particular ghost to shoo an insufferably pompous do-gooder away from his widow and into Pincus’s own arms. That leads to dentistry forming an important part of the plot and is a valuable reminder of the role of career as a metaphor for character. The knowledge that Pincus has helps him form a bond with the archaeologist widow as he identifies a mummy’s cause of death, and as that rapport grows it leads to the film’s conclusion when Pincus tells her that he can help her laugh again, this time with emotional resonance as well as reference to dentistry.

So far so cute, and it could be said that the film does tie everything up a bit too neatly. But why not enjoy that sensation? This is a story that’s all about closure, so it makes sense that technically it will demonstrate some proficiency in that regard.

Gervais is ably supported by his fellow actors, both in the main roles, and in minor supporting parts — whoever was doing casting had a lot of fun allocating roles to the ghosts who follow Pincus round in a pack. It’s skilful feelgood entertainment of pretty high calibre, and even if it doesn’t compare to some of Britain’s best films since 1950, Gervais has every reason to feel proud of his starring role in this better than mainstream American venture.