The Ghost Writer (2010)

The life of a ghost writer (someone who writes books, speeches or lyrics for others) isn’t easy. No one is allowed to know that you are responsible for something and you’ll never get any respect from the readers, someone else will however. The only thing you’ll get is a bag of money and you will have to start looking for your next job. Ewan McGregor (whose character doesn’t have a name and is called The Ghost in the credits) is such a writer and has been asked to write the memoirs of English prime minster Robert Lang (Pierce Brosnan). He has a very short time to finish it. Lang already had a ghost writer, but he was found dead and it’s up to The Ghost to finish the book. He is caught up in a political web when Lang is mentioned in an international case about the treatment of some prisoners. The Ghost starts searching for some answers.

The Ghost Writer is a very exciting thriller. Although The Ghost sometimes is not very careful in the things he does it did not distract from the story, which was good from start to finish, including some unexpected twists. When you watch the movie you’ll swear it was shot in America. With Polanskis legal troubles they were not able to do this and most of it has been shot in Germany. They did this by changing signs, electricity wires, using American cars etc. It’s all very convincing. The beach house was created in the studio and green screens were used to show the ocean. I didn’t notice it at all.
The book on which this movie has been based was written by Robert Harris, a political writer and journalist who opposed the decision by Tony Blair to go to war in Iraq. Any similarities between Lang and Blair are no coincidence.

What I really liked was that the movie manages to keep the suspense high all the way till the ending, without an actual constant threat. Ewan McGregor is very convincing and really carries the movie, helped by a very well written story. If you are looking for an exciting thriller which will have you watching on the edge of your set, look no further as this one is highly recommended.

Score: 8