When a successful British ghostwriter agrees to complete the memoirs of former British Prime Minister Adam Lang, his agent assures him it is the opportunity of a lifetime. But the project seems doomed from the start—not least because his predecessor on the project, Lang's long-term aide, died in an accident. The ghostwriter flies out to work on the project, in the middle of winter, to an oceanfront house on an island off the U.S. Eastern seaboard. But the day he arrives, a former British cabinet minister accuses Lang of authorizing the illegal seizure of suspected terrorists and handing them over for torture by the CIA—a war crime. Lang faces prosecution by the International Criminal Court, unless he stays in the U.S. or goes to another country that does not recognize that court.The controversy brings reporters and protesters swarming to the island mansion where Lang is staying with his wife, Ruth, and his personal assistant (and mistress), Amelia. As the ghostwriter works, he uncovers clues suggesting his predecessor may have stumbled on a dark secret linking Lang to the CIA and that somehow this information is hidden in the manuscript he left behind.
The Ghost Writer is, for the most part, a very nicely executed political thriller. It has an incredible atmosphere and there's enormous tension throughout the entire film. In the midst of all the mystery, there's a real sense of danger and that's what makes the film so appealing. The direction is extremely stylish which is something I very much appreciate. The beautiful shots of the beach (the one in the study was actually computer-generated) and the modern minimalistic sets really made this film a visual feast. The musical score was superb as well and matched the ambiance really well. The plot however, as interesting and relevant as it is, grows tiresome quickly, probably due to the constant change of pace. What really kept me going was undeniably the atmosphere and the visual aspect of the film.
At one point, the main character connects the dots and finds some clues simply by scrolling through pages of Google search results. I mean, we're talking about connections between a Prime-Minister and the C.I.A. Not exactly the type of thing you'll find on the internet. That scene was laughable and although it may have served to quickly move the plot forward, it's a good example of how flimsy some of the plot is and why the story is mediocre. The cast was somewhat uneven. Ewan Mcgregor was great as the "ghost" and Olivia Williams was convincing as the Prime-Minister's wife. Pierce Brosnan and Kim Cattrall on the other hand were pretty awful, especially Cattrall who kept over-acting. The Ghost Writer is not a bad film by any means, in fact, most of the production values are expectational. The plot however is very unbalanced and in that regard the film doesn't deliver.
6.5/10
The Ghost Writer is, for the most part, a very nicely executed political thriller. It has an incredible atmosphere and there's enormous tension throughout the entire film. In the midst of all the mystery, there's a real sense of danger and that's what makes the film so appealing. The direction is extremely stylish which is something I very much appreciate. The beautiful shots of the beach (the one in the study was actually computer-generated) and the modern minimalistic sets really made this film a visual feast. The musical score was superb as well and matched the ambiance really well. The plot however, as interesting and relevant as it is, grows tiresome quickly, probably due to the constant change of pace. What really kept me going was undeniably the atmosphere and the visual aspect of the film.
At one point, the main character connects the dots and finds some clues simply by scrolling through pages of Google search results. I mean, we're talking about connections between a Prime-Minister and the C.I.A. Not exactly the type of thing you'll find on the internet. That scene was laughable and although it may have served to quickly move the plot forward, it's a good example of how flimsy some of the plot is and why the story is mediocre. The cast was somewhat uneven. Ewan Mcgregor was great as the "ghost" and Olivia Williams was convincing as the Prime-Minister's wife. Pierce Brosnan and Kim Cattrall on the other hand were pretty awful, especially Cattrall who kept over-acting. The Ghost Writer is not a bad film by any means, in fact, most of the production values are expectational. The plot however is very unbalanced and in that regard the film doesn't deliver.
6.5/10