Click Here For Our Interview with Ewan McGregor

Click Here For Our Interview with Pierce Brosnan

The Ghost Writer

Movie Grade: A

Well this is truly refreshing. It’s not very often that two of the greatest directors of our time premiere movies in close proximity to each other, and even rarer that those films both demonstrate a youth and vitality which contradict the age and experience behind the scenes. Of the two, I give Roman Polanski‘s latest a slight edge over Scorcese‘s Shutter Island, if only because it marks some of the best performances this particular group of actors has ever been directed towards, and has a script which surprises and entertains at every single turn. Yes he edited the movie under house arrest. Yes he will most likely end up getting sentenced to an extended period of jail time for his actions many decades ago. But neither of those things prevent the film from being among the greatest works in his undeniably impressive career and a tribute to what great cinema is all about.

The Ghost Writer, based on the best-selling novel “Ghost”, is the story of a man hired to pen the autobiography of a former British prime minister. The original ghostwriter apparently committed suicide, and the former PM is currently under investigation for war crimes related to ongoing wars in the Middle East. On the surface, it would seem to be directly addressing the story of Tony Blair, but as the narrative unfolds, a far more interesting series of subplots emerge. This is not a true story, but it really doesn’t matter. The attention to detail is elaborate enough for the audience to accept the world as a mere sidestep away from our own, and what few holes the brilliant screenplay leaves open are smoothed over by an incredibly well developed sense of character. Everyone is interesting, everyone is flawed, and everyone is part of the puzzle.

Bringing that world to life are a collection of actors who have spent their careers waiting in the wings. People like Pierce Brosnan, who hasn’t had the chance to develop a resume of character roles due to his instant celebrity and long-term commitment to his vodka martini-sipping alter ego. He makes a fantastic politician, and I wonder only briefly if there were any other contenders for the role. The film’s star, Ewan McGregor, seems to have been more miss than hit of late, but this is easily the greatest work of his career. Part of that probably has to do with not having to fake an American accent as he seems much more poised in his natural British cadence. Following him is Olivia Williams, taking a break from her time as the icy CEO of the Dollhouse and infusing the Prime Minister’s wife with a dark tenderness which betrays her true emotional state. To top it all

off, add in the eternally terrific Tom Wilkinson, and you have a group of actors who could manage to elevate the worst screenplay ever written. Now imagine what they can do with quality material, and you start to see how this whole production comes together.

From the opening frames to the closing credits, the movie speaks to a director who is entirely in control of his film. Long takes that never bother to cut give the actors room to breathe and develop. Cinematography that is both intimate and epic, creating a sense of the individual and the world around them simultaneously. Music that is never overbearing and fits perfectly into the slow burn of a buildup that the editing has implied. A storytelling triumph that will keep even the most disinterested souls glued to the screen. In my mind, the greatest compliment that can be paid to the film is that it’s a thriller which commands multiple viewings, not simply a disposable adrenaline rush. You will want to see it again almost immediately, and it’s not the kind of movie that will lose its potency under future scrutiny. If this is the way 2010 is starting off, it’s going to be a great year for movies.

Movie Grade: A

Synopsis:

A ghostwriter (McGregor) hired to complete the memoirs of a former British prime minister (Brosnan) uncovers secrets that put his own life in jeopardy.