Despite two over-before-you-know-it scenes of violence, "Ghost Town" is a ghost tale without shudders, screams or gore. The chills come from watching director David Koepp try to revive a genre that, if not dead, already has been measured for a coffin.

In the post-Judd Apatow world, can anyone resuscitate the raunch-free romantic comedy?

The answer is yes, although co-writer John Kamps doesn't help director Koepp by cobbling together a plot from spare cinematic parts: a smidgeon of "Heaven Can Wait," two scoops of "Groundhog Day" and a dash of that ghostly oldie, "Topper."

From familiar start to predictable finish, we've seen these scenes before. Lack of suspense should kill "Ghost Town," but the movie comes alive on the star turn of Ricky Gervais, a wizard of acidic asides and snarky put-downs. His Bertam Pincus, the most misanthropic dentist in Manhattan, is a Pessimist for All Seasons. He verbally savages everyone and everything, including the weather: "Is there any more stupid form of precipitation than hail?"

One day, Pincus enters a hospital for a routine colonoscopy. He exits suspecting that something had gone wrong. Right-o.

"I died?" Pincus asks his surgeon (Kristen Wiig).

"A little bit," she admits.

"For how long?"

"Seven minutes."

"A little less," insists the hospital's lawyer (Michael-Leon Wooley, whose tone and posture manages to convey sympathy, defensiveness, impatience and unease).

In his post-death life, Pincus can see and talk to the ghosts who wander Manhattan, haunted by tasks left undone. The dead are a needy, pushy bunch —and they all believe they've found the right guy to finish their unfinished business.

Pincus reluctantly strikes a deal with the late Frank Herlihy (Greg Kinnear), a philanderer whose widow (Tea Leoni) is being romanced by a priggish human-rights lawyer. If Pincus ends the engagement, Herlihy promises to end the haunting.

In other words, it's the old Boy-Meets-Girl-Courtesy-of-Ghost routine. But while Koepp may be over-fond of overly familiar storylines, he's capable of crackling dialogue. And his cast, which includes Dana Ivey as a ghost and "The Daily Show's" Aasif Mandvi as Dr. Prashar, Dr. Pincus' put-upon business partner, gives an old story a fresh shine.

For a romantic comedy, "Ghost Town" has its share of mystery. For instance: Why isn't Tea Leoni a bigger star?

Playing a globe-trotting archaeologist and grieving widow, Leoni may be too perfect (just as Gervais may be too poisonous). But when she welcomes the dentist into her studio to inspect a mummy's teeth — and other preserved parts —the chemistry between Leoni and Gervais is warm enough to make you root for two smart, wounded people.

In the movie's third act, Boy Loses Girl and Ghost. But you expected that, right? You also expected him to try to prove that he's not a total twit. And that he and she ...

We've been here before. But this return visit is an enjoyable one, thanks to several new and entertaining residents.

"Ghost Town." Rated: PG-13. Running Time: 1 hour, 43 minutes. 3 stars.

To find out more about Peter Rowe and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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