The Ghost Writer

Roman Polanski is a name synonymous with controversy. The Ghost Writer, however, transcends his name and reaffirms his status as one of the world’s best directors. Intelligently written and superbly acted, the film manages to deliver all that Polanski’s hiatus promised—as well as a much-needed message for our society.

Hired to write the autobiography of former British Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan), the protagonist, known simply as The Ghost (Ewan McGregor), is plunged into a world of suspicious deaths, hidden affairs and potential war crimes. Lang is under investigation by international human rights organizations for supplying names of Iraqi suspects to the CIA for torture. Over the course of his research, The Ghost uncovers secrets about Lang’s involvement, which have the potential of ruining his career and threaten his life. Further complicating his situation are Lang’s adulterous secretary (Kim Catrall) and seductive and calculating wife (Olivia Williams).

Co-written by Polanski and Robert Harris and adapted from Harris’ 2007 novel The Ghost, the film keeps you guessing with each discovery. Polanski’s experience shows in his effortless control over the narrative, and his and Harris’ multidimensional characters on paper become even more impressive on screen. The exchange between Brosnan and McGregor is scintillating and fast-paced—a true demonstration of their talent. Even the smaller players, especially Catrall and Tom Wilkinson as Lang’s old friend, are striking. Adding a realistic layer of controversy to the story is the fact that the Langs are more or less fully based on former Prime Minister Tony Blair and his formidable wife Cherie.

Forget about Polanski’s public scandals and see this movie—it’s one of 2010’s first greats.