Over Her Dead Body - PG-13

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Ghost-lite romantic comedy is only so-so.

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Rating: PG-13 for sexual content and language. Studio: New Line Cinema Directed By: Jeff Lowell Cast: Lake Bell, Eva Longoria, Paul Rudd Running Time: 98 minutes Release Date: 01/31/2008 Genre: Comedy

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this romantic comedy stars Eva Longoria Parker, who's popular (and familiar to teens) not just for her starring role in Desperate Housewives but also for her tabloid-followed celebrity marriage to NBA player Tony Parker. There's not really any gratuitous content in the film: The language is standard for the PG-13 rating ("bitch," "s--t," etc.), there's no violence or overt product tie-ins, and the one (aborted) love scene (which shows a man and a lingerie-clad woman fooling around in bed) is more humorous than sexy.

Families can talk about how Hollywood portrays the afterlife. Can you think of other movies that focus on a ghost trying to communicate with someone or change something among the living? How do the representations of ghostly life differ? Kids: Do you think this movie has a happy ending? Why or why not?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Sandie Angulo Chen

Eva Longoria Parker plays Kate, a type-A bridezilla who's accidentally crushed to death by an ice sculpture on the day of her wedding to Henry (Paul Rudd), a loving veterinarian. One year after her death, Henry's sister (Lindsay Sloane) convinces him to see Ashley (Lake Bell), a part-time psychic, in order to communicate with Kate's ghost. Since Kate believes it's her ghostly mission to keep Henry away from the pretty, single medium, she reveals herself to Ashley and proceeds to sabotage their relationship. The sole voice of reason is Dan (Jason Biggs), Ashley's best friend, who warns her that any relationship involving an angry ghost is bad news. But Ashley and Kate continue to spar like vindictive high-school girls fighting over a guy.

OVER HER DEAD BODY is yet another entry in the Ghost-inspired subgenre of love stories. First-time feature director Jeff Lowell also obviously stole some of the tone of John Tucker Must Die (which he wrote) for the scenes between Ashley and Kate. The result is a lack of emotional connection with either woman. Would a ghost really spend all of her time annoying the psychic that her former fiancé is dating rather than to reach out to her loved one directly? And would a psychic who for the first time actually sees someone from the beyond act like a 16-year-old because the ghost's beloved is "cute"?

It's not that the movie is awful, it's just blah -- the kind of fluff that only very young girls would find romantic. There are occasional laughs, mostly due to Rudd's charming wit and a couple of slapstick scenes involving Biggs. The actresses are actually the weak spots, lacking the comedic chops to make their characters work. Both come off as petty and overly polished (especially in the case of Longoria Parker, who looks like she'd never appear in a film if every hair weren't perfectly in place and every form-fitting outfit sprayed on her curves). An ice-queen ghost and a shallow psychic-caterer? Neither seem to deserve the sweet vet.

Better teen-friendly otherworldy romances include Ghost, Just Like Heaven, and City of Angels.

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content Henry and Kate kiss and hug on their wedding day. Ashley and Henry kiss and fool around in bed (she's wearing lingerie). Henry's sister describes his potential date as a woman with "huge breasts" who "loves oral sex."
Violence Kate is crushed by an ice sculpture, but viewers don't see it happen. In a funny but slightly creepy scene, Kate levitates and talks in a loud voice while trying to scare Ashley.
Language Language includes "s--t," "bitch," "ass," "piss," "dick," etc.
Message
	Social Behavior Ashley agrees to scam Henry about communicating with his dead fiancée. Kate uses her time as a ghost trying to sabotage a potential relationship between Henry and Ashley.
	Commercialism Nothing overt: a Uniden cordless phone and a couple of recognizable cars (no visible logos).
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco A character tells a guy she's interested in that if he likes her, "just wait until I'm drunk." Adults drink beer, wine at dinner.