Land of the Free

A movie review of “Ghost Writer”


I am still thinking about the ending of the movie “Ghost Writer”. (Which I will not tell you.) It is a film to be watched from the beginning to the very end...Stay away from any loose lipped friends who may blurt out the ending to you. Be wary of any morning show radio personalities who may give away the story. Before you see this film, do not read any “movie-spoiler” reviews. In this film, watching how the twists and turns play out is pure enjoyment. In this film, ignorance is bliss.

We went to see it Friday evening instead of our usual Saturday late matinee. I like it when the theater is almost empty. There was a good crowd at this show. And everyone paid attention until the very end. And it is well worth it.

Ewan McGregor plays a talented ghostwriter hired to write the memoirs of a former British Prime Minister, Adam Lang. Lang, (the very handsome Pierce Brosnan) and his wife and staff, are staying in a secluded New England Coast beach house. His wife Ruth, is played perfectly by Olivia Williams. His chief of staff, Amelia Bly, is played by Kim Cattrall. Forget the hot Samantha Jones from HBO’s Sex and The City. Ms Cattrall”s performance in this movie is far more enticing. She is smart sexy. One of the most provocative scenes is when McGregor follows behind (literally and figuratively) as she walks up the stairs in a black pencil skirt…

In the beginning of the film, we learn that the previous ghostwriter has drowned under suspicious circumstances. The Ghost (McGregor) is hired and brought to the secluded beach house to look at the manuscript and interview Lang. The manuscript is kept very secure, as is everything else in the large house.

McGregor is staying at a local Inn a few miles away from the beach house. A scandal is unleashed about the ex-Prime Minister’s counter terrorism tactics. Once this hits every news network and he is discovered in America, the media is all over the island. The Ghost is brought to the beach house to stay and write the book.

McGregor is not comfortable staying with any client. The intimacy is a distraction. But this arrangement does allow him to dig a bit. He discovers some odd things about Lang. He is led down a trail that gets him more involved that he wants to be.

This film is thick with paranoia. All the characters involved with Lang, apart from the Ghost, seem to function so well in this uncomfortable environment.

There are many interesting twists in this film. Roman Polanski has created a superb piece. This is a film I want to see again in the theater. It is beautifully shot. The score is haunting. It gives you all the thrills without any over the top scenes. It is a movie filled with content and not a lot of glitz with a great finish. A must see…