MyRating: YYYDirector: Roman Polanski
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Olivia Williams, Kim Cattrall, Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Hutton, John Bernthal, James Belushi, Eli Wallach
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for language, brief nudity/sexuality, some violence and a drug reference
An unnamed successful British ghost writer named The Ghost (McGregor) gets a proposition he cannot refuse when he is offered to complete the memoirs of the former British Prime Minister, Adam Lang (Brosnan). Even though he senses danger from the very beginning, as the predecessor ghost writer for Lang's memoirs died in a mysterious accident, but he accepts the job as a contract of a quarter million dollars may be something he will never see again in his entire lifetime.
As soon as The Ghost starts his project in Lang's luxurious and isolated mansion by the oceanfront on a small island in the US, where Lang lives with his wife Ruth (Williams), a major political scandal related to Lang's past, when he occupied the office of UK Prime Minister, erupts. Lang is accused to have authorized a series of seizures towards his nation suspected terrorists and handing them to the United States to be tortured by the CIA in Guantanamo. The controversy quickly arouses the international attentions and soon after, the reporters and protestors from all around the world flooded the island.
As The Ghost digs deep into the project in the uncertain situation, he starts to find clues and strangeness related to his predecessor's dead and it may because the man knew a big secret that link Adam Lang with the CIA. And everything seems to be hidden inside the the thick memoirs manuscript left by his predecessor, as long as he can solve it. And The Ghost knows that he has to find the truth and do the right thing, before the same accident that was happened to his predecessor will happen to him.
Ewan McGregor was well-casted as The Ghost. I think he portrayed his character just right as the curious, cautious and smart ghost writer. Pierce Brosnan is equally interesting to watch as the ex Prime Minister with his charms and great personality. But we cannot see the full depth of Brosnan's character as the script purposely not giving us a full access into the heart of his character.
The suspense is slowly built, but maintains our curiosity as the mystery flows and unfolds. This is a good political thriller, but you have to be patient and put yourself in full concentration while watching it, if not you will lose the story due to its complexity. There will be some questions left in your head after finishing this movie, but the director will leave you to think and answer those questions by yourself. (MJ)
