Monday, September 6, 2010


Directed by Roman Polanski
Starring Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Olivia Williams, Kim Cattrall, Tom Wilkinson, James Belushi, Timothy Hutton, Eli Wallach

The Ghost Writer was still in post-production when Polanski was arrested in Switzerland in 2009 and caught in the middle of a media frenzy for his child molestation charges in America dating back to the late 1970's. The film did not suffer as a result since he was able to see it through and finish the film from prison.

A ghost writer (McGregor who's character name was never mentioned in the script so he came up with one for his own sake, Gordon McFarquor) is hired to complete the memoirs of a former British Prime Minister Adam Lang, after the previous writer was found dead from apparent suicide. When he digs into the book and begins to do research, he starts to uncover secrets in Lang's past that ultimately become dangerous to his own life.

Many people have said of this film that Polanski has brought the Hitchcockian style back, but while that may not be all made up, I'd still argue that Polanski has simply continued his own because his own style has always been similar to Hitchcock and The Ghost Writer is no exception. It would be fair to compare the film to Polanski's The Ninth Gate (1999) with Gate's religious themes having being replaced with those of politics. It's a brilliantly directed thriller with great performances from McGregor, Brosnan and the supporting cast all the way down to the legendary Eli Wallach (I'll always see him as Tuco, but whatta hell, right?). There are countless references of Brosnan's Lang being the film version of Tony Blair with Lang being treated as US' loyal poodle and a war criminal.

Following Polanski's arrest, the film received extra media exposure as well which was very fortunate because movies like this don't usually get any attention in the media. Sure, they may be well reviewed but they never reach larger audiences. When the finished film was released, the studio advised the cast to avoid commenting Polanski's arrest, but Brosnan still stated in a promotional interview that "It's sad for all concerned, but it's also heightened the movie. The movie's in the can, he's in the can." You can take the man away from Bond but you can't take the Bond whit out of the man.

The Ghost Writer on Polanskin Yhdeksännen Portin (1999) tyyppinen trilleri, jossa Portin uskonnolliset teemat on yksinkertaisesti (ja toimivasti) vain korvattu poliittisilla motiiveilla. Jotkut ovat moittineet elokuvaa liian hidastempoiseksi, mutta itse näin tämän vain mestarillisena jännitteen ja paranoian rakentamisena. Vertaukset Hitchcockiin ovat toki ymmärrettäviä, mutta Polanski on toisaalta rakentanut jännityselokuvansa näin jo Inhosta (1965) lähtien. Loistava elokuva ja Brosnankin vetää Tony Blairiin rakentuvan hahmonsa kunnialla kotiin.

The Ghost Writer at IMDb


Kaisa said...

Tuli käytyä aikanaan katsomassa tämä ihan teatterissa, kun vaikutti trailerin perusteella niin jännältä leffalta. Ja sitä se olikin, eikä mielestäni ollut kovinkaan ennalta-arvattava. Se on itsellä varmaan merkittävin tekijä elokuvissa näinä päivinä.