Love is war in ghostly comedy 'Over Her Dead Body'

By: DAN BENNETT - Staff Writer | Wednesday, January 30, 2008 1:53 PM PST ∞

Call it "Ghost" without the weighty moral complexity and profundity.

Or wait, did anybody ever give that film such importance? Anyway, "Over Her Dead Body" is anything but important, but as a romantic lark with ghostly aspirations, it floats and hovers OK.

The story opens with a bride-to-be on her wedding day giving instructions to an ice-sculpture delivery guy. Kate, played by Eva Longoria Parker, is obviously not easy to please, so when she says the angel ice sculpture is missing key components, she means it. Her anger seems trivial when the ice thing topples over and crushes her, killing her instantly.

Cut to heaven, or some sort of purgatory, where Kate's persistent attitude carries over to the afterlife, and she won't let an angel (a real one this time) get in a word. We know Kate is in trouble but won't see why until a year later, when we meet her groom-to-have-been, a likable veterinarian named Henry, played by Paul Rudd.

Henry has been in a quiet funk since the tragic day, but his well-meaning sister wants to help. She takes him to see the caterer/psychic Ashley, played by Lake Bell. Ashley spends her time either cooking up fondue or talking to the deceased in pleasant afternoon seances, depending on her client's needs. She is assisted by a klutzy but lovable co-worker, played by Jason Biggs, who means well but has a tendency for kitchen mishaps.

Henry has little use for psychics, and believes this all to be a waste of time, but he humors Ashley, whose first attempts at summoning Kate ---- the idea that by bringing her forth from the undead, she can comfort Henry and coax him into getting on with his life ---- are feeble at best.

Tiny, tiny sparks fly between Henry and Ashley, though, and we can tell there may be romance to follow. Such potential happiness is hindered by the ghostly appearance of Kate, whom we remember as ill-mannered and selfish, and death hasn't changed her. She begins a nasty little battle with Ashley ---- the only one who can see Kate ---- and the two engage in a catfight over Henry, though he is clueless to the inner workings of this dynamic. He simply knows something truly weird is happening.

"Over Her Dead Body" travels from there, a series of comic scenes pitting the dead against the living. It's lightweight stuff, often awkward and flat, but sometimes charming, especially the workable chemistry between the droll Rudd and the lively Bell, who summons a goofy, pleasant energy that's sometimes lacking in the screenplay. Like Katherine Heigl in "Knocked Up," the relative newcomer Bell boosts the film with her smarts.

Not that "Over Her Dead Body" moves anywhere near scholarly territory, but it has some bounce, and while not likely to summon memories of great film ghost stories past, its relatively minor ambitions probably won't scare you out of the theater.

B-

"Over Her Dead Body"

Starring: Lake Bell, Paul Rudd, Jason Biggs, Eva Longoria Parker

Director: Jeff Lowell

Studio: New Line Cinema

Rated: PG-13 (for sexual content and language)

RT: 95 minutes