Review of The Ghost Writer (2010) by Rocketcrossing — 09 May 2011

Roman Polanski has proven time and time again that he's one of the world's finest directors. With film-greats such as Chinatown, Rosemary's Baby, and the Pianist under his belt, how could anyone expect him - at the age of 78 - to crank out a movie that can stand up to many of the others in his filmography? That being said, The Ghost Writer really came out of left field; I hadn't even heard of it until it came and left theaters.

All I knew was that it was a thriller directed and co-written by Roman Polanski, starred Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan, and it had something to do with a political mystery. Ok, I was in. There are some really outstanding performances in this film, and that's extremely important in a movie like this: McGregor and Williams both do a terrific job, but it's Brosnan's performance that really stands out in this one.

I'd have to say it's his best role yet. The writing is also very good, based on the "The Ghost" written by Robert Harris, you really feel like you're trying to uncover this mystery right along side The Ghost throughout the duration of this picture.

But my favorite element in this movie has got to be the sets, which are often overlooked. The sets in this movie are simply incredible and they even become characters in their own right, most notably the film's primary location - Brosnan's rented beach house.

When we first approach the house it looks like a fortress - guards pacing the building from the outside, grey concrete walls, secluded in the middle of nowhere. But once we see the inside it becomes a whole different thing; it's almost like a labyrinth bathed in a cold grey light from the outside where the weather is constantly either raining or on the verge of rain.

These sets are subtle meaning and really help drive the points of this film home. I'm not saying that The Ghost Writer isn't without its flaws. The story does drag on a bit right around the middle of the second act, and it does leave you wishing there were a few more meaningful interactions between Brosnan and McGregor but all -in-all it's a pretty bullet-proof movie for those who can stomach a dialogue driven film with little to no action.

Read the rest of the review on my film review site, rocketcrossing.com, and check out our facebook page at facebook.