I did not realize that The Ghost Writer was directed by Roman Polanski until the closing credits rolled. By that time, I was already prepared to give the film a mild recommendation with three stars. To be fair, I am still giving this film three stars, but with a non-recommendation. How Hollywood can make excuses for a convicted and unrepentant child rapist escapes me. But I cannot recommend a film (and would not have watched this one) that is directed by a child predator. Hollywood seems to think Polanski is some sort of cinematic savant, which is no excuse for his horrid crime. And if he IS a savant, it certainly is not evident in The Ghost Writer.<
When I watched the trailer for The Ghost Writer, I knew I wanted to see this one. The trailer gave it the feel of a tight nail-biter. What a disappointment. The film isn't terrible, but the plot is fairly predictable, the pacing is sluggish and the concept has been done before. There was really nothing fresh about this film. The film also seems to take a few cheap shots at America and a former President, but I can let that stuff slide in a well made film. This film was not.
I like Ewan McGregor, who is our "Ghost." The ghost is hired by an American (James Belushi) at a London publisher, to write the biography of former Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan). The deadline for completion is a mere four weeks, but this ghost is known for working quickly. He is also replacing another ghost writer whose untimely death prevented completion of the manuscript, which is nearly completed.
The ghost must fly to the United States to meet up with Lang on an island off New England. He is met by Chief-of-Staff Ameila Bly (Kim Cattrall) who runs a tight ship. He quickly learns that Bly maintains fierce control of all information. Bly also appears to have a deep rooted conflict with Lang's wife, Ruth (Olivia Williams). Ruth has an innate sense about politics that indicates she is the woman behind the successful man. Her keen observations indicate that she is a force to be reckoned with.
As our ghost moves forward with the biography he begins to uncover inconsistencies in Lang's story. Those inconsistencies, combined with photographs and news clippings left over from the previous ghost writer, lead down a dangerous trail. Our ghost immerses himself in a search to uncover the truth while Lang becomes the target of an investigation from the Hague. The converging forces drive forward on a collision course with the ghost writer standing directly in the middle. The question he must answer is "who is pulling the strings?"
I do not mind political commentary in a film, as long as it contributes something to the story. In The Ghost Writer, the politics sets the stage for our story to unfold. There was a degree of Anti-American sentiment and some pointed shots at our former President that seemed a bit gratuitous but not distracting. The investigation of Lang involve his authorization for rendition and water boarding of British terrorists captured in Pakistan. A weapons conglomerate (which appears to be a take-off of Haliburton), the CIA and even Condoleeza Rice all manage to make their way into the script. None of those things would bother me if the script were better. But it wasn't.
Polanski takes a novel written by Robert Harris (who also wrote the screenplay) and sets it to a dark brooding tone. The backdrop appears to make an attempt at introspection but comes across as subdued and slow. The story itself borrows from other sources and doesn't even manage a "gotcha" moment. Instead, The Ghost Writer manages to be predictable and hackneyed. There were a few tense moments, but they were sparse. Most of the time I sat there scratching my head and waiting for some meat. Or at least throw me a bone. (Maybe not a good analogy for a film directed by a sexual deviant).
The acting was a distinct highlight. McGregor, Brosnan, Cattrall and Williams were all spectacular. They took a mediocre script and owned it. There was one bedroom scene that lacked credibility, but beyond that, the cast was flawless. I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I am familiar with Cattrall from her role as Samantha on Sex in the City. She makes the transition from nymph to Chief-of-Staff superbly. I was completely convinced of her power role. Williams exerts her power in a more subtle way, which requires an even more astute performance, which is exactly what we get. Williams projection of authority comes across smoothly and subtly. She was amazing. If nothing else, The Ghost Writer was well cast.
The Ghost Writer was rated PG-13 for showing McGregor's buttocks in a bedroom shot (a scene that did not inform the movie much). It appeared...and maybe I was mistaken...that the "F" word was dubbed with the British alternative "Sod" once and "Fricking" once. It makes me wonder if those dubs might have been just enough to avoid an R rating...or maybe it was my imagination. There was at least one F bomb, but the language was pretty tame. The Ghost Writer contains one homicide, which is not very graphic and was the only violence I recall in the film. As a whole, this film is pretty tame. I would suggest Tweens or older. Run time is two hours, eight minutes. It felt every bit that long.
If you have not picked up a major theme in this review, I will say it one last time. I detest Polanski and everything he stands for. He gave Quaaludes to a thirteen year old girl and raped her. Then he fled the United States to avoid his punishment and has remained unrepentant. Why Hollywood would come to the defense (and enable) a sick individual like Polanski is beyond my comprehension. He is a detestable human being and I would not have wasted my time on this film if I had known ahead of time he was the Director. Having said that, I reached my decision about the three star mild recommendation before I learned that Polanski directed. So I will give the film an appropriate rating, for at least entertaining me with strong performances. But this film will be a non-recommendation for me. 6/10.
Trailer and images subject to copyright.