Over Her Dead Body

NEW YORK (CNS) -- Next to "Blithe Spirit," Noel Coward's witty 1940s' play (and movie) about the ghost of a late wife trying to undermine her husband's love life, the similarly themed "Over Her Dead Body" (New Line) is lame indeed.

This bland romantic comedy concerns a combination psychic and caterer, Ashley (Lake Bell), who falls in love with her reluctant client, veterinarian Henry (Paul Rudd), who's grieving for his fiancee, Kate (Eva Longoria Parker). She was killed -- by a falling life-size angel made out of ice, no less -- on their wedding day. (The sculptor, played by Stephen Root, meets his own demise sometime later and becomes an astral guide to Kate.)

A year later, the still-grieving Henry is dragged to see Ashley by his well-intentioned but meddling sister, Chloe (Lindsay Sloane). Ashley -- who works in tandem with her putatively gay business partner, Dan (Jason Biggs) -- fails to make contact with "the other side," confirming Henry's skepticism all the more.

But Chloe soon persuades Ashley to try again, and over ethical protestations Ashley accepts Kate's diary so she can pretend she's truly getting messages from beyond.

Ashley engineers a chance meeting, and the ruse indeed works. But by this time, the jealous Kate has materialized for real and makes it clear she wants Ashley to leave her ex alone. Ashley freaks out and becomes a recluse, dodging calls and visits from the genuinely smitten Henry. Eventually, Ashley determines she'll defy her spectral visitor and follow her heart. This prompts Kate to do all she can to sabotage the budding romance.

Writer and first-time director Jeff Lowell's formulaic script is amiably pleasant at best, but never as funny or touching as it aspires to be, a couple of droll sight gags -- one involving a recalcitrant dog -- notwithstanding.

The strictly B-level Parker and Bell demonstrate that, whatever their other gifts may be, the inheritors of Lucille Ball's and Carol Burnett's mantles they are most definitely not. Nor does either lady have the lightness of touch that even a Reese Witherspoon or a Sandra Bullock might have brought to these roles. And though Rudd's proven himself a good actor elsewhere, he's wasted here.

On the plus side, graphic sexual material -- so typical of this genre -- is minimal, though there is a (not very funny) bedroom scene involving Henry and Ashley, one further marred by some unfortunate flatulence shtick.

It is, however, refreshing to see a reasonably positive priest character played engagingly -- if stereotypically -- by W. Morgan Sheppard. Ashley goes to him at first hoping he can exorcize Kate's ghost. And there are a couple of other scenes where he comes across as a benign presence.

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The wrap-up is quite nice, though strictly by the numbers.

The film contains some instances of profanity and crass language, passing sexual and gay references, a nongraphic nonmarital sexual encounter, some crude humor, and brief partial female nudity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

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Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops