Over Her Dead Body

Over Her Dead Body casts Eva Longoria as Kate, a bitchy would-be bride who dies in a freak ice-sculpture accident on the day of her wedding to Henry (Paul Rudd). A year later, Henry finds himself falling for a klutzy psychic (Lake Bell’s Ashley) that can actually communicate with Kate – though it quickly becomes clear that Kate is going to do whatever it takes to keep Ashley away from her man. It’s a silly premise that doesn’t make much sense, as writer/director Jeff Lowell proves unable to offer up a convincing explanation for Kate’s increasingly obnoxious behavior (ie why wouldn’t she want her former fiancé to be happy?). This probably wouldn’t be quite so problematic had Lowell not bogged the proceedings down with a relentless series of distinctly unfunny gags and set-pieces, and there’s ultimately little doubt that Over Her Dead Body generally possesses the feel of a second-rate sitcom. Having said that, it’s just as obvious that Rudd, whose mere presence here is nothing short of inexplicable, does periodically elevate the proceedings with his expectedly engaging performance (notwithstanding the appearance of a comically overweight pooch, Rudd’s sporadic, and seemingly improvised, off-the-cuff remarks provide the film with its few laughs). Longoria and Bell are competent yet unspectacular (the former essentially offers up a shrill riff on her Desperate Housewives character), and although things do pick up slightly towards the end (particularly as Kate starts to communicate with Henry using a parrot), Over Her Dead Body generally remains a tired, utterly forgettable effort that boasts little in the way of positive attributes.

** out of ****