The Ghost Writer

Plot synopsis:
A British ghostwriter (Ewan McGregor) is hired by the publishing firm Rhinehart, Inc. to complete the autobiography of former Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan). His predecessor and Lang's aide, Mike McAra, has recently died in an apparent drowning accident. The writer travels to Old Haven on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, where Lang and his wife Ruth (Olivia Williams) are staying, along with Lang's personal assistant (and implied mistress), Amelia Bly (Kim Cattrall). Amelia forbids the writer from taking McAra's manuscript outside, emphasizing that it is a security risk.
Shortly after the writer's arrival, former Foreign Secretary Richard Rycart (Robert Pugh) accuses Lang of authorizing the illegal seizure of suspected terrorists and handing them over for torture by the CIA, a possible war crime. Lang faces prosecution by the International Criminal Court unless he stays in the U.S. (or one of the few other countries that does not recognise the court's jurisdiction). While Lang is in Washington, the writer finds items in McAra's room suggesting he might have stumbled across a dark secret. Among them is an envelope containing photographs and a phone number the writer discovers is Rycart's.
During a bike ride, the writer encounters an old man (Eli Wallach) who tells him the current couldn't have taken McAra's body from the ferry where he disappeared to the beach where it was discovered. He also reveals a neighbour saw flashlights on the beach the night McAra died, but later fell down the stairs and went into a coma. Later, Ruth admits to the writer Lang had never been very political, and until recently always took her advice. When he tells her the old man's story, she suddenly rushes out into the rainy night to "clear her head." Upon returning, she reveals Lang and McAra had argued the night before the latter's death, and the ghost writer and Ruth have a one night stand while Adam is away.
The next morning, the writer takes the BMW X5 McAra used on his last journey. Unable to cancel the pre-programmed directions on the car's sat-nav, he decides to follow them. He arrives in Belmont at the home of Professor Paul Emmett (Tom Wilkinson). Emmett denies anything more than a cursory acquaintance with Lang, despite the writer showing him two pictures of the pair among photographs found in McAra's possessions, as well as another on the wall of Emmett's study. When the writer tells Emmett the sat-nav proves McAra visited him the night he died, Emmett denies meeting McAra and becomes evasive. The writer leaves, and successfully eludes a car that is pursuing him. He boards the ferry back to Martha's Vineyard, but when he sees the pursuit car drive aboard, he flees the boat at the last moment and checks into a small motel by the ferry dock.
With no one else to turn to, the writer redials Rycart's number, asking for help. While waiting, the writer does research on Emmett and links his think tank to a military contractor. He also finds leads connecting Emmett to the CIA. When Rycart arrives, he reveals McAra gave him documents linking Lang to so-called "torture flights," where terrorist suspects were placed on private jets owned by Emmett's company, to be tortured while airborne.
Rycart further claims that McAra found new evidence, which he wrote about in the "beginning" of the manuscript. The men cannot, however, find anything in the early pages. The writer discusses Emmett's relationship with Lang, while Rycart recounts how Lang's decisions as Prime Minister uniformly benefited U.S. interests. When the writer is summoned to accompany Lang on his return flight by private jet, he confronts Lang and accuses him of being a CIA agent recruited by Emmett. Lang derides his suggestions.
Upon leaving the aircraft, Lang is assassinated by a British anti-war protester, who is in turn shot by Lang's bodyguards. Nevertheless, the writer is asked to complete the book for posthumous publication, as in light of Lang's death it will be a certain bestseller. Amelia invites him to the book's launch party in London, where she unwittingly tells him the Americans tightened access to the book, as the "beginnings" contained evidence threatening national security. She also tells him Emmett, who is in attendance, was Ruth's tutor when she was a Fulbright scholar at Harvard.
The writer realizes the clues were hidden in the original manuscript in the opening words of each chapter, and discovers the message: "Lang's wife Ruth was recruited as a CIA agent by Professor Paul Emmett of Harvard University." He concludes Ruth shaped Lang's every political decision to benefit the USA under direction from the CIA.
The writer passes a note to Ruth reveaing his discovery. She unfolds the note, and is devastated. When she sees the writer raising a glass, she is kept from following him by Emmett and other assistants. As the writer leaves the party he attempts to take a taxi, without success. As he crosses the street off-camera, a car accelerates in his direction to an impending collision. As witnesses react in horror, the pages containing McAra's manuscript are blowing in the wind, leaving the writer's fate unconfirmed.

Tags: boring, mystery, murder, dramatic, intrigue, atmospheric, suspenseful

Review:
The key word here is suspense, the perfect blend of a director at the peak of his powers, a script that beautifully works with a source without diluting its essence or compromising its subject matter, and with a timing so perfect that no false note is hit, enrapturing its audience, never letting go, pushing its limits as the audience awaits its incredible resolution.McGregor plays a hired writer who comes in to assist Lang (Brossnan) in the publication of his memoirs.
No doubt Roman Polansky knows how to build a gripping movie, with craft and wit, in this case a political thriller, where references to Blair and Bush are no so much explicit, but subtle enough to be perceived somehow.
Mostly, the plot proves some loose ends as the craftily prepared intrigue seems to come to a hasty ending, leading to a finale which does not appear up to the great potential and high expectations of its previous development.Convincing and well-focused performances by the whole cast, especially by Ewan McGregor who keeps a high-level performance, never abusing his intriguing role, but thoroughly contained, Pierce Brosnan proves good in his part, although his past stereotyped roles make it difficult to see him credible as a former prime minister, Olivia Williams as his wife Ruth delivers a smart and talented performance.
Now in The Ghost Writer, the acclaimed director recaptures that Hitchcock sense of inevitable evil slowly stalking the rich and famous while the little guy protagonist witnesses the underbelly of power.Ex-Prime Minister Andrew Lang (Pierce Brosnan) hires a ghost writer (Ewan McGregor) to finish an autobiography by the previous ghost writer, who mysteriously drowned.
As unnamed ghost begins his work in a Martha's Vineyard hideaway of Lang, mayhem breaks out, for Lang is accused of sanctioning water boarding in the Iraq theater.While it is apparent Lang's personal life is deteriorating as well, the ghost pursues with the tenacity of Jake Gittes the mystery of how his predecessor died, gaining a few bruised bones but not a broken nose for being nosy.While the film has some clichéd situations, almost as if Polanski is trying to evoke '70's thrillers in all their cheesiness, he has recruited an excellent cast.
Polanski has always directed his actors well, but of course he is smart enough to hire them in the first place.The stark; outdoor settings; the almost antiseptic interiors; the slowly suspenseful music; the car chases; the shower; and the suspicious ladies,especially the blond), are a few of the Hitchcock touches gracing the Ghost Writer.
As was often the case with Hitchcock, the story, camera framing, and a sense of mounting anticipation, produce more suspense than any amount of car chases, expensive stunts, intrusive music or grandstanding of stars.Polanski's choice of stars is interesting, particularly as the two lead parts Pierce Brosnan (as former Prime Minister, Adam Lang) and Ewan McGregor (as the ghost) are known more for their 'star-appeal' performances than any detailed character acting.
Even the ending has been simplified from the original script, which would have given a further meaning to the title and the whole film: but at the risk of being perhaps a little too clever.But for those who want to draw unsettling comparisons, there is a fairly heavy-handed likeness to accusations about Tony Blair's complicity in what have been termed war crimes.
And when Lang refuses an invitation to go to London for fear of arrest, it might possibly recall Polanski's comment, "The last time I went to a festival to get a prize I ended up in jail." The Ghost is a beautifully 'hand-crafted' film, almost belonging to the age of noir, when characters were shadows and revelations exposed with dramatic force rather than loud bangs.
Ewan McGregor is one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood and it is him not Pierce Brosnan that drives the Ghost Writer, like a thriller.
War on Terror is probably political, but departing from those sided political views, The Ghost Writer is an efficient and credible thriller that manages to provide enough suspense and interesting moments to engage the audience for the entire duration.Ewan McGregor plays a ghost writer for the former prime minister of England (played with charisma by Pierce Brosnan).
In a way, Pierce Brosnan adds screen presence and has the looks of a political leader, but it seems as though that his apparent lack of range actually made the Ghost Writer, a lesser film.
Doubly so because his protagonists are all British, making weakly disguised references to Tony Blair (Pierce Brosnan doing a routine job--he really can't act worth beans if an actual emotion is required) and his wife (Olivia Williams, who is absolutely terrific, award material).Which brings us back to McGregor, playing a ghost writer for the ex-prime minister's memoirs.
Awful, awful direction and very forced acting - among the highlights are the fact that Kim Cattrall can't decide whether she's British or American and does not speak like any Brits you will meet in real life, Pierce Brosnan's exaggerated gesturing when he suddenly receives what is supposed to be a disturbing phone call, one of the worst sex scenes in cinematic history, random dialogues which appear to be an attempt at Hitchcockian suspense but are laughable (Eli Wallach's scene being a good example, the scene where Ewan McGregor lands his assignment for really no reason that makes sense - with various people looking mysteriously at each other while considering him - being another) The direction, script, editing and pacing are terrible.
The giant gray cloud that hovers over the setting for almost the entirety of Roman Polanski's "The Ghost Writer" is like the film's suspense.
Elevating it above gimmicky thrillers such as this year's "Shutter Island" -- excellently crafted, but gimmicky -- are the performances of McGregor, Brosnan, Cattrall and Olivia Williams that at times make the film feel more parts drama than thriller.
I watched Roman Polanski's newest film completely engaged and came out having seen one of the best films of 2010 so far without any doubt.As the name suggests, the film is all about a ghost writer (Ewan McGregor) who is given the opportunity by his agent to write the completed memoirs of former British Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan).
In 1839, English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton coined the now famous phrase "the pen is mightier than the sword", and such is the essence of Roman Polanski's densely layered political masterpiece, The Ghost Writer.Based on Robert Harris' novel The Ghost, the story focuses on an un-named hack for hire (McGregor) who is recruited to re-write the memoirs of a former British Prime Minister (Brosnan), who is little more than a thinly disguised caricature of Tony Blair (so close, in fact, that when Harris' novel was released he told The Guardian that he half expected a defamation writ to be delivered to his door).The memoirs were written by another ghost writer who turned up dead under mysterious circumstances shortly after the manuscript was completed.
Further, he finds that his life is in a great danger."The Ghost Writer" is a disappointing and incoherent political thriller by the great Roman Polanski.
Even actors with minimal roles such as Elli Wallach or James Beluchi attain considerable presence in the screen.Combining vintage Polanski - ominous discoveries (Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown), claustrophobia (Knife in the Water), isolation (The Pianist)- with a contemporary situation involving the war on terror and involvement in the Middle East, The Ghost Writer is certainly one of the best movies of its kind.
There are moments that evoke the inspired uncertainty of Chinatown, where it's perceptible things are horribly awry but not so perceptible just how exactly.The Ghost Writer is striking, glib and convincing, an uncommonly sharp glance of power at its most tempting and acidic, a whirl of visual poetry, political maneuver, personal fanaticism, and an enticing mélange of information-age fear and Polanski's distinguishing instincts that just happened to hit theaters as Blair was besieged for many of the same Iraq War indiscretions of which Lang's accused.
I think not.If you're a sincere film buff, a fan of Polanski's work, and have an acute eye for photography, then you'll easily notice the director's fondness in portraying the details of an apartment ("Rosemary's Baby," "The Tenant," "Repulsion"), a cabin ("Death and the Maiden"), a hotel room ("Frantic"), and of course, the modern house in "The Ghost Writer." Furthermore, Roman Polanski's films contain similar visual motifs, including encrypted codes that the protagonist must solve, water over corruption, reflections, isolated characters, knives, and secret rooms.
All of these elements, and much more, create the master of suspense, next to Alfred Hitchcock."The Ghost Writer" is Polanski's latest film, and at 76, he still knows how to direct.
It's about the work, not the man's flaws."The Ghost Writer" is about a man (Ewan McGregor) who's hired to write the memoirs of the former British Prime Minister (Pierce Brosnan).
Roman directed a great political thriller, one of the best of this kind (among with "The Parallax View" and "Three Days of the Condor" from the 70's I think...) with a chilling, outstanding and atmospheric music score from Alexandre Desplat, a clever twist of the plot near the final magnificent scene, McGregor is good (he reminds me the character of Polanski as an actor in "The Tenant" thirty five years earlier), Brosnan is very good and convincing (even though he deserved more screen time, he is a genius)and a pair of great performances from the ladies, Williams as his wife, and especially Cattrall (as his personal secretary and probably mistress, always by his side, with her mute and unspeakable tenderness and love), far away from heavy make-up and the caricature role in "Sex and the City".
In the film, former Prime Minister Adam Lang, has completed his new memoir and needs a ghost writer to revise his copy, after the former one is found dead.
Polanski really delivers a very Euro-feel movie experience, despite its being largely based on a notional US island (which felt more like a crossover between Scotland and Nova Scotia).You could easily tell there was something wrong with Lang's wife, so calculating, so using sex as a tool, and while Adam did come across as something of a lightweight, you will have to watch to have a chance at untying this particular story/mystery thread.The moral of the story, if there is one, is do not even consider entering the arena of the big (economic, political, power) beasts unless your upbringing, education and circle of friends have severely and (figuratively speaking) savagely prepared you for it...or you risk ending in an unseemly state somewhere on Regent's Street, London, UK....
Ghost Writer (McGregor) takes an assignment to complete the memoirs of Adam Lang (Brosnan) a former British Prime Minister.
It might not receive a lot of award nominations but this film is indeed very good.Ewan McGregor stands out as 'The Ghost' for Pierce Brosnan's character, Adam Lang.
As the story progresses, it starts to look like none of the events are accidents.Much of the movie has the feeling of the string of films in the 1970s focusing on suspicion of the government ("The Parallax View", "Three Days of the Condor" and "All the President's Men"), but Roman Polanski of course infuses it with his own style.
'The Ghost Writer' is both very up-to-date and a throwback, because it's an obvious allusion to very contemporary politics, but also very much like a well-made Hollywood movie thriller of the good old days.
Will he escape his predecessor's fate?Roman Polanski brings this political thriller to vivid, if even-paced, life; stellar performances by Ewan McGregor and Olivia Williams make it (relatively) easy to overlook the inconsistencies of Brosnan and Catrall's otherwise-distracting accents.
The film manages to build a tense undercurrent of suspicion with little outward effort: the story- line weaves without sinking into chaos, and the twists in plot are genuinely unexpected.In short, 'The Ghost Writer' feels more like 'Cineuropa' than 'Hollywood', and that is never a bad thing.
A satisfying little thriller from Roman Polanski with one of the best closing shots I've seen in a movie in a long time.Ewan McGregor plays the title character, who's assigned the task of cleaning up the autobiography of a former and much maligned British prime minister (played by Pierce Brosnan) when the original ghost writer turns up dead.
Now, in his 77th year, Polanski again brings to the screen another movie, The Ghost Writer.Ewan McGregor stars as the 'The Ghost', a writer who is hired to complete the memoirs of the recently dismissed British Prime Minister Adam Lang, played by the fantastic Pierce Brosnan, just as he is convicted of committing war crimes during his service.
Ewan McGregor as The Ghost portrays the writer intricately, while Olivia Williams does an excellent job as the ex Prime Ministers wife, and Tom Wilkinson fits his role like a glove.
But, despite this fact, The Ghost Writer is still an excellent movie, delivering an interesting and chilling plot, a powerful ending, brilliant scenery and direction, and fantastic performances.
Here a reluctant Ghost Writer (Ewan McGregor) accepts a commission to re-write former Prime Minister, Adam Lang's (Pierce Brosnan) memoirs.
His new film, "The Ghost Writer" has become an instant hit with critics and audiences alike and takes its place now along Polanski's arsenal of intriguing, extremely intelligent works of art.
The ghost is hired by Rhinehart Publishing to finish the memoirs of a famous former British Prime Minister, Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan), a great political figure who has come to the end of his term and whose memoirs have been long-expected by the public.
There is no hero, there are only real people a corrupt politician, his wife, his secretary, and the ghostwriter who is at the center of all the corruption, murder, and deceit is the focus of this tightly bound film a film that proves to be far more than it is appears.Ewan McGregor is another actor I am a fan of sadly I have not seen many of his films besides the Star Wars prequel trilogy, "Angels and Demons" (2009), "The Island'(2005) and now Roman Polanski's "The Ghost Writer".
I watched the latest film directed by the ever controversial Roman Polanski, The Ghost Writer.
And this film, was just brilliant to say the least.Based on the book by Robert Harris, the film centers on an unnamed Ghost Writer (Played by Ewan McGregor), who is hired to finish the memoirs of Alan Lang (Played by Pierce Brosnan), a former UK Prime Minister who is now retired, and living in the United States with his wife (Played by Olivia Williams).
Engaging story, interesting characters, incredible mood and sense of place (amazingly, locations in Germany substituted brilliantly for Martha's Vineyard -- having spent some time on the Vineyard, I was completely convinced that's what I was seeing, forgetting during the film that Polanski wouldn't have set foot on U.S. soil), more implied violence than any real screen violence (for those who like suspense but stay away from thrillers because of worry about violence, don't worry) -- it's all about suspense and intrigue.
Engaging story, interesting characters, incredible mood and sense of place (amazingly, locations in Germany substituted brilliantly for Martha's Vineyard -- having spent some time on the Vineyard, I was completely convinced that's what I was seeing, forgetting during the film that Polanski wouldn't have set foot on U.S. soil), more implied violence than any real screen violence (for those who like suspense but stay away from thrillers because of worry about violence, don't worry) -- it's all about suspense and intrigue.
Somehow I feel that the Ghost Writer doesn't deliver as one would expect a Roman Polanski film to.
Carrying a very mysterious vibe from its opening moments, full of twists n turns throughout its runtime & benefiting greatly from Alexandre Desplat's sensational score, Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer is a finely crafted & nicely performed political drama that's narrated in a highly controlled manner yet turns out to be slightly underwhelming in the end.Based on Robert Harris' novel, the story of The Ghost Writer concerns a nameless ghostwriter who's hired to complete the memoirs of a former Prime Minister of United Kingdom, after the untimely death of the writer who was previously assigned the same job.
It may be modern cinema starring popular contemporary actors as Pierce Brosnan and Ewan McGregor, but its direction and approach remains old-schooled and its craftsmanship fundamentally solid.This is the work of a filmmaker trained in the lost art of movie storytelling, where strong direction (and misdirection) is the key to captivating audiences rather than using gimmicky effects that reduce films to cheap experiences.McGregor plays The Ghost, a ghost writer hired to edit the memoirs of former British Prime Minister Adam Lang (Brosnan) who is facing charges of crimes against humanity.
With director Roman Polanski and acting from Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan along with Kim Cattrall and Olivia Williams.
Ghost writers, like the hero of the Polanski's film wonderfully acted by Ewan McGregor are people with no past, no family, no ambitions, and no identity - sometimes they even do not have a name, or we do not get to know them.
This film strives more to critique his mentality and satirise those around him.Ewan McGregor gives his best performance in a long while as the intelligent and inquisitive "Ghost Writer" whilst Pierce Brosnan as the former Prime Minister slips in well as the tormented former leader.
Williams is good as the wife, even though the sex scene is ridiculous and just part of the film not knowing where it is going.If you haven't already gathered, I was really disappointed in The Ghost Writer.
From such political content and the detention of the Director in Switzerland when he visited there for a business trip, this film is highly popular in many ways.The ghost writer played by Ewan McGregor, takes on the writing of retrospective autobiography of the former British prime minister, Adam Lang.