Ed Harris

Reitman and Villeneuve are both Canadian—but from different planets

Here we have two movies adhering to classic Hollywood genres. Ghost Town is a Capra-esque romantic comedy about the redemption of a mean-spirited misanthrope. Appaloosa is a western/buddy movie with dash of ironic romance. I saw both at the Toronto International Film Festival and found neither especially memorable. But what elevates the material in each case is the presence of actors who deserve better, specifically Ricky Gervais and Viggo Mortensen. (For my interview with Gervais in this week’s magazine, go to: They picked me for romantic lead!)