The Ghost Writer

In this taut political thriller from director Roman Polanski, Ewan McGregor plays a writer whose job is helping famous people pen their autobiographies.  McGregor's character (referred to throughout the movie only as The Ghost) is hired by ex-British prime minister Adam Lang (played with some bite by Pierce Brosnan) to spice up his memoirs after the previous ghost writer was killed in a drowning accident.  Soon after, Lang is accused of war crimes, and as The Ghost uncovers more details about his new boss's checkered past he begins to wonder if his predecessor's death was really an accident.  Polanski, a master of suspense, keeps you glued to your seat as he elegantly unspools the story's mystery at just the right pace.  As The Ghost discovers new clues, his anxiety and paranoia rises and we are right there with him.  McGregor is fantastic in this role.  While other actors would try to inject some toughness into their protagonists in these types of cat-and-mouse intrigues, McGregor plays it true-to-life by appearing soft and a bit cowardly - much as we would expect from an ordinary writer.  The supporting cast were also terrific; I was most pleasantly surprised by Kim Cattrall's understated performance as Lang's elegant and loyal personal assistant.  "The Ghost Writer" keeps you guessing, and with every twisty turn that leads The Ghost closer to the dangerous truth, you fear if this poor writer will become an actual ghost in the end.

4 out of 5 stars