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Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams, Tom Wilkinson ... see more see more... , Jim Belushi , Eli Wallach , Timothy Hutton , Robert Pugh , David Rintoul , Jon Bernthal , Tim Preece , Anna Botting , Yvonne Tomlinson , Milton Welch , Alister Mazzotti , Tim Faraday , Kate Copeland , Soogi Kang , Hong Thay Lee , John Keogh , Hans-Peter Sussner , Stuart Austen , Marianne Graffam , Morgane Polanski , Andy Gting , Robert Wallhofer , Glenn Conroy , Robert Seeliger , Clayton Nemrow , Julia Kratz , Nyasha Hatendi , Daphne Alexander , Angelique Fernandez , Anne Whittman , Michael S. Ruscheinsky , Mo Asumang , Sylke Ferber , Desiree Erasmus , Errol Shaker , Errol Harewood , Talin Lopez , Joel Kirby , Regine Hentschel , Jeff Burrell , Daniel Sutton , Eben Young , Jaymes Butler

A ghostwriter stumbles onto a secret that places his life in danger as he takes down the life story of a former U.K. prime minister in this Roman Polanski-helmed adaptation of the Robert Harris novel.... read more read more... Convinced by his agent that he's been granted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, talented British screenwriter "The Ghost" (Ewan McGregor) agrees to aid British prime minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan) in completing his memoirs after the leader's former aide dies under mysterious circumstances. Almost immediately after The Ghost arrives at a remote mansion in the U.S. to begin working with the prime minister, Lang is accused of committing a war crime by a former British cabinet minister. Amidst a deluge of protestors and reporters, The Ghost delves into the unfinished manuscript and comes to the terrifying conclusion that his predecessor died because he discovered a link between Prime Minister Lang and the CIA. The more information The Ghost uncovers, the more convinced he becomes that his life could be in danger as well. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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68% liked it

55,738 ratings

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84% liked it

195 critics

PG-13, 2 hr. 8 min.

Directed by: Roman Polanski

Release Date: February 19, 2010

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DVD Release Date: August 3, 2010

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Flixster Reviews (5,133)

  • spielberg00
    April 28, 2012
    spielberg00
    THE GHOST WRITER was very engaging. Rescan those points above, intertwine them with the spellbinding score by Alexandre Desplat (this is the kind of film he should be scoring), and you probably understand what I refer to. It also seemed a bit uneven. Seeing it as your average ... read moremovie fan, I loved it, but when I tried to look at it from a political standpoint, I got a bit confused. On top of that, the word ghost is taken a bit too far. It starts out with the proper employment, in the fashion of describing someone who writes the memoirs of a familiar figure, but when the film grows more tense and McGregor begins to shorten, I(TM)m his ghostwriter, to simply, I(TM)m his ghost, the word seemed to have a whole different meaning. Thankfully, I feel more than compelled to watch more of Roman Polanski

    READ THE REST OF WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN:
    http://themoviefreakblog.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/the-ghost-writer/
  • paulkoh110
    March 4, 2012
    paulkoh110
    Not the best conspiracy film but under the hand of Roman Polanski, it entertains you long enough to finish it.
  • thmtsang
    February 4, 2012
    thmtsang
    Ewan plays a ghost writer who takes up a job to ghost write the memoirs of the ex British Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce). Ewan's predecessor and former aide of Lang died in an unfortunate accident. Lang is accused of ordering the torture of terrorists and is being investigated... read more for war crimes. Ewan tries to discover the truth behind the rise of Lang to power and connections with the CIA. It's a very interesting plot but it takes a long time to get to the revelations. Good storyline and cast. The movie reminded me of Frost Nixon and Michael Clayton.
  • SirPant
    September 1, 2011
    SirPant
    The original title of the film and also the correct title of the book on which it is based is The Ghost. The Ghost writer doesn't work as a title as the film isn't just about the Ghost Writer but also the Ghost of his predecessor. I find it quite frustrating really that the produ... read morecers felt the need to change it? Maybe they thought that the audience would walk out after 30 mins having not seen a hint of a single floating bed-sheet or creaky floorboard/slamming door/ floating kitchen implements etc etc. It's also set on a ghostly island, the ghost writer himself, played by Ewan McGregor (sporting a horrible English accent) is alone, he moves around like a ghost, without wanting to spoil it for anyone interested, this film is full of ghosts! It just bugs me that the audience is treated as idiots when it is the production team that generally don't have the brains to understand simple concepts. I suppose it bothered me the most because it is the title and the ideas that it conjures up that is integral to the story. As for the film itself, it's suitably creepy in its suspense and slightly disjointed in the way it's filmed but brilliantly so. I like to think this was all intentional though and after seeing a few Polanski films I believe it is. He's a great director and this is a great film, my only criticism is that they got London a bit wrong and both the accents and the acting aren't brilliant - although I thought it was cast. I adored the ending the most, dark and refreshing.
  • jennifxu
    July 30, 2011
    jennifxu
    Oh my god, the foghorns just kill me. Polanski has long maintained a fetish for brooding obsession that pushes the lines of sexual perversion, yet it is in "Ghost Writer"'s the deft construction of atmosphere and tension where he truly succeeds. The pervasive gloom that taints th... read moree air is reminiscent of Hitchcock's classic thrillers, replete with Tim Burton-esque tinkles and the ominous sounds of a distant foghorn. The disillusioned, boozy "ghost" could have come straight out of the 50s film noir reels of Billy Wilder or Orson Welles, a hardboiled writer who purposefully shuts out the drama ensuing behind him. In true fashion, Olivia Williams ("An Education") plays Lang's wife Ruth, the mysterious victim/femme fatale whose intentions are not quite certain.

    Indeed, "The Ghost Writer" is much more plot-based than it is character, a move that keeps the audience constantly anticipating each word, twisting with surprises up until the very last frame. At the same time, the film crackles with mordant wit in the most unexpected areas, relieving the audience's buildup of tension for a slight second.

    Wtih his lithe construction of tension and gripping tales of intrigue, romance and obsession, Polanski masterfully transforms what quickly could've escalated into a pedestrian chase-and-evade flick into an effective political espionage thriller for those who can't stand the genre. Because the film doesn't claim to be anything more than popcorn entertainment, it manages to succeed beyond its wildest expectations. "Ghost Writer" should be the touchstone against which all post-Oscar-pre-blockbuster films should be measured against, a film that embraces the advent of modern technology while paying homage to one of the greatest filmmakers of all time.
  • FiLmCrAzY
    July 25, 2011
    FiLmCrAzY
    I quite simply dont understand it!
    yes its got a good cause to be a stylish political thriller with a brilliant cast, however if fails to impress me, i find it confusing and i dont completely see the whole point and then to round it of your left unsatifisfyed at the as it truly ... read moreshowed that the film itself thought it was pointless.
    Brosnan and McGregor are brilliant as leads and it has a great supporting cast however i find it just isnt upto scratch to make it an interesting thriller.
  • superjoker1
    June 29, 2011
    superjoker1
    It may not be an extremely original or revealing thriller storywise (despite being very well written), but it's wonderfully atmospherical and rivetingly interesting, enough so to always grab full attention without boring. Ewan McGregor is great, and proves that he is one of the m... read moreost charismatic actors out there.
    The style is something very much this movies own, and Alexandre Desplat's score exhilerates.
  • MizturY0da
    June 29, 2011
    MizturY0da
    three stars
  • Chiefilms
    April 24, 2011
    Chiefilms
    Juicy thriller, excellent finale. I would've like to have seen Sean Bean being cast alongside Pierce Brosnan, reignite the Bond-Trevelyan rivalry!
  • paulsandberg
    March 27, 2011
    paulsandberg
    It is a rather sad commentary that a tightly wound, "adult" thriller such as Ghostwriter comes as such a rarity these days. Indeed, this Roman Polanski directed film harkens back to films of another era, where tension was built block by block and the audience didn't need a car c... read morehase every five minutes to whet their ADD addled attention spans.

    I say "adult" because this film simply doesn't cater to those base desires to show you all flash and sizzle - preferring to take you on a rather harrowing journey of discovery that, in spite of some nods to filming convention script wise, still manages to build a considerable amount of tension.

    Without revealing too much, the story goes something like this: former British Prime Minister Adam Lang (masterfully portrayed by James Bond... I mean Pierce Brosnan) wants to cash in on his celebrity by writing his memoirs. Unfortunately the original ghostwriter (the scribe who takes the musings of the "great man" and turns it into something approaching a readable text) mysteriously winds up lying dead on a beach. Negotiations for a replacement follow and "The Ghost" played ably by Ewan McGregor, enters the picture and is contracted to "clean up and polish" the manuscript of his predecessor. While working on the project McGregor begins to feel that something is not quite right, and here Polanski exhibits his considerable directing skills in setting an ominous tone where just about anything and everyone looks somehow suspicious.

    This is a film all about tone, from the gloomy wet landscapes of Martha's Vineyard in winter, to the cold interior of the PM's concrete and steel home. Add in the perfectly British air of cold efficiency provided by the PM's aide (a wonderful role for Kim Cattrall) and the buttoned down manners of the PM's wife Ruth, plus the chilly detachment of the Asian maid/cook who appears to either know something or is going to suddenly go all ninja fu - it all ratchets up the tension and keeps you guessing.

    Polanski borrows heavily from past masters like Hitchcock in laying out this story through various conversations and just a hint of plot convenience, yet for all the seemingly innocuous conversations, the tension continues to bubble just beneath the surface, with just enough glances in rearview mirrors at black sedans to make you feel just as McGregor must - that he is a fly caught in a web of something very dark.

    As the secret begins to unfold there are some wonderful cameos as McGregor meets up with Eli Wallach, and, in a brief but off the charts bit of acting, Tom Wilkinson whose portrayal of a pompous yet somehow dangerous academian who may be some kind of political power broker, or perhaps something even deeper. Indeed there exists a strong political undertow to the film, as one can easily imagine Andy Lang being Tony Blair, and Wilkinson being perhaps some kind of facilitator for Halliburton. Part and parcel in a film delving into politics, motivations and allegiances are murky at best, which further enhances the feeling of claustrophobia where you can truly trust no one.

    The only misstep comes just before the film's conclusion, where a note is passed as if saying, "I know the truth". It is out of character and unnecessary, and yet the filming of the note being passed from hand to hand, never seeing more than the torsos of those doing the passing is so brilliant that you can forgive Polanski (who co-penned the script along with Robert Harris, who wrote the book upon which the film is based) his transgression. What follows, with the action taking place just off screen, with only the aftermath being shown on screen is a bit of cinematic genius and aptly shows a director in complete control of every aspect of his film.

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Critic Reviews

Joe Baltake
July 20, 2010
Joe Baltake, Passionate Moviegoer

Polanski's 'The Ghost Writer': Cosmpolitan Composition Full Review

Rick Groen
March 5, 2010
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

The result is a political thriller refreshingly long on grown-up dialogue yet lamentably shy on, well, thrills. This chatty thing does go on. Full Review

Tom Long
March 5, 2010
Tom Long, Detroit News

The swirl of visual poetry, political intrigue and personal zeal that Polanski creates gets under your skin and brings an icy hand up your back. This is moviemaking. Full Review

Peter Howell
March 5, 2010
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

Polanski is in total command of his medium, something that hasn't been a sure thing since the 1970s, The Pianist notwithstanding. Full Review

Colin Covert
March 4, 2010
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

So elegant, so deliciously scary, so masterfully controlled that you feel tingles of bliss even as your skin crawls. Full Review

Ty Burr
March 4, 2010
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Another director would almost certainly have bobbled this devilish mixture of paperback suspense, political chicanery, and jet-black comedy. In Polanski's hands, it's an unholy pleasure: a diversion t... Full Review

Roger Moore
March 3, 2010
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

It's not one of Polanski's masterpieces, but The Ghost Writer doesn't dilute his reputation as a master of suspense. Full Review

David Denby
March 1, 2010
David Denby, New Yorker

The best thing Polanski has done since the seventies, when he brought out the incomparable Chinatown and the very fine Tess. Full Review

Peter Rainer
February 26, 2010
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

The Ghost Writer is minor Polanski but it's one of the rare thrillers these days that plays up to you instead of down. Full Review

David Germain
February 26, 2010
David Germain, Associated Press

Brosnan and Williams are the real highlights, both such dynamos that you feel their absence and yearn for their return during the long stretches when McGregor is mucking about on his own. Full Review

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    • Ruth Lang: I see you've taken out the Lang family tree [from the memoirs]. Adam's very proud of the Langs.
    • The Ghost: You know, if you want a family tree, go to a garden center.
    • The Ghost: Hey Rick. Now they want the book in two weeks instead of four. Thanks for getting me this job. Can't talk. Some peace protestors are trying to kill me!
    • The Ghost: Why he keeps on calling me 'man'?
    • Amelia Bly: Oh, he [Adam Lang] does this when he can't remember someone's name.
    • The Ghost: It's my first time in a private jet.
    • Amelia Bly: Let's hope it's not your last.
    • The Ghost: I'm your ghost.
    • The Ghost: I've just been mugged.
    • Rick Rickardelli: Shit! You all alright?
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  • Which creepy 1957 horror film was based on the short story Casting the Runes by the British ghost story writer M.R. James? (I'm looking for the British title here, not the American one.)  Answer »
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