Instead of using fast cuts and other modern cinematic gimmicks, Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer relies on an involving story that deeply immerses us in the experience, a tribute to his immense skill as a director. Based on the novel Ghost written by Robert Harris, the film is about an unnamed author (Ewan McGregor) who is hired to complete the memoirs of former British Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan) after the previous ghost writer was found dead, his body washed up on a beach in New England.

Although it is a suspense thriller, The Ghost Writer also makes a sharp political statement, creating a main character that very much resembles former British Prime Minister Tony Blair (Harris, himself was a strong supporter of Blair until he broke with him over Britain's participation in the war in Iraq and Blair's subordination to U.S. foreign policy interests). Because Polanski was banned from the U.S. because of an event that occurred 32 years ago, the film was shot in Germany and its depiction of Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts is recreated on the island of Sylt in the North Sea.

Opening as a ferry disembarks suspiciously leaving one car behind, the film establishes a mood of unease and danger from the outset, aided by an atmospheric score by Alexandre Desplat. People talk about the drowning of the previous ghost writer as being either an accident or a suicide yet, like many CIA-assisted suicides, it is suspicious right off the bat (or off the boat) and the new author soon finds himself buried in intrigue when he visits Lang in his security-entrenched compound on the seacoast.

McGregor is a blank slate, an ambitious young man presumably just out to take in a huge paycheck but after reading Lang's autobiography and finding it to be a "cure for insomnia," he is determined to have the former Prime Minister share his life and work in a more authentic manner. The writer is invited to stay in the compound where Lang resides with his very articulate and somewhat bitter wife Ruth (Olivia Williams) who suspects his assistant Amelia (Kim Cattrall) to be his mistress. McGregor's autobiographical work is interrupted when he hears in the news that Lang has been accused of war crimes by a former minister and is being investigated by the World Court.

To appear to be engaging in business as usual, Lang travels to Washington in a private jet owned by a company with a name similar to Halliburton, where he is defended against the accusations by a State Secretary who looks very much like Condoleezza Rice. At home, however, protesters show up on the island together with hordes of press and Ruth has to turn to the author for some physical and mental solace as the plot swoops and dives into unpredictable twists and turns that keeps us off balance until the powerful conclusion.

Heading an outstanding cast, Brosnan delivers a strong performance that strikes the right balance between fear and arrogance and McGregor is also pitch perfect. Winner of a Silver Bear in Berlin for Best Director, The Ghost Writer shows Polanski at the top of his form and in total control of the medium. Even though he had to complete the final editing of his film in a Swiss jail and under house arrest in Switzerland, the fact that it still bears the stamp of his genius is a tribute not only to his art but also to his character.

I saw this few days back on a dvd which I own.

Inspite of the dvd being in my drawer for a decade, I never felt the urge to go ahead.

What a fool I was cos this is an amazing thriller with a top notch performance by Gregor.

The cinematography is excellent n the best part is the script.

The movie inspite of being a simple thriller has lots of tension n it is very captivating from the go.

Roman Polanski directs Robert Harris best selling thriller. It was loosely inspired by former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair's war exploits.

Ewan McGregor plays a writer who is not interested in politics. However he has been offered a lucrative job to be a ghost writer for the memoirs of former Labour British prime minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan.) The previous ghostwriter died in an accident and McGregor needs to write the memoirs quickly.

Lang is holed up in Massachusetts with his wife Ruth Lang (Olivia Williams) and assistant Amelia Bly (Kim Cattrall.) He is at risk of arrest from the International War Crimes Tribunal for illegal rendition and torture.

McGregor starts to interview Lang, trying to find out what makes him tick, why he got involved in politics etc. Over time he discovers holes in Lang's story. He joined the Labour Party a few years earlier than he claimed.

More intriguingly McGregor investigates how the previous ghostwriter died and thinks that he was on to something before his premature demise.

McGregor confronts Lang and tells him that Lang was groomed for power from his university days be shadowy guys in American intelligence. Something Lang laughs off.

Polanski directs the film as a thriller. McGregor enters a world that gets murkier but the film also gets foggier. It is still an effective film with a good twist.

Because of Polanski's legal issues, he cannot film in the USA. The lack of American location shooting is rather obvious. Also I would had liked to see more of Lang. I think Brosnan's part was curtailed to the film's detriment.