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The Ghost Writer
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The Ghost Writer

2010
Drama
Suspense/Thriller
2h 8m
A ghostwriter hired to complete the memoirs of a former British prime minister uncovers secrets that put his own life in risk.
Directed by:
Roman Polanski Roman Polanski
Written by:
Roman Polanski Roman Polanski Robert Harris Robert Harris
+1 more
Starring:
Pierce Brosnan Pierce Brosnan Kim Cattrall Kim Cattrall Olivia Williams Olivia Williams Ewan McGregor Ewan McGregor Tom Wilkinson Tom Wilkinson Timothy Hutton Timothy Hutton Eli Wallach Eli Wallach Robert Pugh Robert Pugh Jim Belushi Jim Belushi Jon Bernthal Jon Bernthal
More
Genres:
Drama, Suspense/Thriller, Mystery
Countries:
France, Germany, UK
Language:
English
imdb More information at IMDb
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The Ghost Writer

2010
Drama
Suspense/Thriller
2h 8m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 55.6% from 3290 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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kojilessKojiless
Rated 26 Jan 2013
80
85th
If H.P. Lovecraft wrote political thrillers instead of extra-dimensional horror, and was a filmmaker instead of a writer, and was alive instead of dead, I could see him producing something using a similar color palette.
Rated 26 Jan 2013
kmcneilKMcNeil
Rated 29 Mar 2010
7
70th
"He can't drown two ghost writers. You're not kittens." Briefly loses momentum as Lang (Brosnan) disappears and has a few pacing problems along the way, but those minor quips aside, this is Polanski close to the top of his game. Muted blue and grey colors oozing cool, dialogue at turns poignant and witty - and in general just a tight political thriller that keeps you guessing without resorting to cheap tricks (ridiculous twists, shifting character motivations etc).
Rated 29 Mar 2010
kasperlKasperL
Rated 21 Feb 2010
80
86th
Good performances all around in an above-average thriller. McGregor carries the film well, Brosnan is larger-than-life and Williams is effective, if on the verge of overdoing it. And how cool is it that Wallach is in this at 94 years old? The film is deliberately paced but never uninteresting. And instead of going for wall-to-wall suspense, Polanski often opts for some nice understated humor.
Rated 21 Feb 2010
fredericg54frederic_g54
Rated 26 Mar 2010
8
78th
Loved how it was able to tell a story without resorting to action and nonsense in the third act, hardly a single frame is wasted. The work of a virtuoso filmmaker.
Rated 26 Mar 2010
pickpocketPickpocket
Rated 28 Feb 2010
8
82nd
This was excellent and the first great film of 2010. When Polanski is on, he's extremely good. Perfect blend of action and thrills with some nice comic relief. The ending is really great and very Polanski (think Chinatown). Performances are all great (especially Brosnan), even Jim Belushi is good in his small role. Just saddened that they cut out some obvious F-bombs and replaced it with words like "bugger" to get the PG-13 rating, was a bit distracting. Regardless, you should see this.
Rated 28 Feb 2010
muutanetmuutanet
Rated 19 Jul 2010
84
89th
After reviewing Polanski's recent work I have to take back what I said before. The story, directing and shooting were stunning. Though I still did not like McGregor, the part of Brosnan was kind of accetable. Tom Wilkinson was as good as always, but the most pleasant work did Olivia Williams as PM's wife. Eli Wallach was a nice touch. And the caretaker with ever flowing sand was telling symbolicly the same story.
Rated 19 Jul 2010
mitealcmitealc
Rated 19 Jul 2010
95
89th
A film for the adults, particularly those who get their thrills from mounting suspense and rousing tension rather than cheesy action and shocks. Although Polanski's trademark climactic revelation lacks punch, it departs with a damn good closing image, that will stick with you for at least of couple of hours, maybe more.
Rated 19 Jul 2010
mentaculusMentaculus
Rated 13 Aug 2010
91
90th
The best Hitchcock film in 34 years. Oozes paranoia and suspense, Polanski never wastes a frame of celluloid or a line of dialogue in telling the story. Color symbolism and cinematography were also brilliantly executed.
Rated 13 Aug 2010
freakfreak
Rated 27 Feb 2010
80
93rd
A candid old-fashioned political thriller with just the right amount of sarcastic humor. Beautifully directed with phenomenal score and great performances. Loved Kim Catrall. Free Polanski immediately !!!
Rated 27 Feb 2010
kgbelliveaukgbelliveau
Rated 20 Mar 2010
83
58th
A film that prides itself on keeping focused on a simple story rather then getting out of hand. There are some fine peformances in this film, and there is some tension as the secrets build and the story unravels. Brosnan is really good in this film and personally I wish he would have been in a tad more scenes. Ewan Mcgregor as well gives off a fine performance in what could have become a mess. Thrilling, intense and real and that is all you can ask for.
Rated 20 Mar 2010
glumpy99glumpy_99
Rated 18 Dec 2010
100
99th
Instant classic thriller; CHINATOWN's storytelling savvy meets TENANT's sensibilities. Entire cast is explosive (from unusually fine and multi-faceted Brosnan, to the mad old man Wallach). Wilkinson, displaying more than a dash of Eli Cross is also a highlight, plus a great McGregor performance not seen since the late 90s. Many images are haunting (setup and execution of a key scene with Brosnan in particular); the incredible final shot will leave you gasping and chuckling in equal measure!
Rated 18 Dec 2010
stewballStewball
Rated 03 Mar 2010
30
5th
A Roman Polanski bait and switch hit piece. Three quarters of the way through I was rating it a 9--and then wham. Ooo, and I know where he got a good chunk of the financing for it, from BMW who obviously paid huge bundles for product placement. Nothing subtle at all. Slathered is more like it. They probably got Pierce Brosnan at bargain basement prices after "Mamma Mia". And the women!!! I guess since he couldn't use 13 year old girls, he punished us with these. Serves Ewen right.
Rated 03 Mar 2010
torgo1968torgo1968
Rated 26 Jul 2011
60
12th
Technically competent but snoozy thriller. Also, directed by a child rapist, so there's that.
Rated 26 Jul 2011
omgfridgeomgfridge
Rated 15 Aug 2010
9
92nd
Political thriller in the vein of Hitchcock. Never uninteresting and every frame was used to its potential. Excellent pacing, casting, camerawork, editing in an all round excellent film. The final shot was perfect.
Rated 15 Aug 2010
djrossdjross
Rated 17 Feb 2011
45
34th
A few wry moments are not enough to overcome a bland and rather old-fashioned script (that is also quite silly). The strange quasi-America that Polanski is forced to create, and the odd absence of extras, do not help either, and give the movie the feeling of inhabiting an eerie alternative universe, but not an especially interesting one.
Rated 17 Feb 2011
pompousasspompousass
Rated 06 Mar 2010
60
85th
The adaptation of a Harris political potboiler really doesn't amount to much. But Polanski proves himself a masterful judge of the material, pacing himself prudently, walking a razor's edge between anxiety and mirth, allowing the plot to unfold without rush, getting to know the cast of characters as palpable human beings -- Williams a standout as the politician's astringent wife -- and keeping the bedrock of political piety pretty well buried.
Rated 06 Mar 2010
caimancaiman
Rated 08 Apr 2010
87
85th
Although the movie felt very subdued, Polanski tells the story with such precision and focus that I got caught up in it. By the end I was nervous with anticipation for the outcome to unfold (and boy, did it ever unfold - what a ballsy and fantastic ending). I think what I loved most about it was Ewan McGregor. He's great as an everyman who gets wrapped up in a crazy situation, yet is able to barely keep his head above water, so to speak.
Rated 08 Apr 2010
vandelay1Vandelay1
Rated 24 Feb 2010
76
88th
Nice Movie
Rated 24 Feb 2010
frederikaFrederikA
Rated 21 Mar 2011
70
67th
Starts out in a pleasantly realistic manner, which allows for character based suspense building in the vain of good ol' Hitchcock (or Polanski himself for that matter). The whole thing gets a bit ... silly towards the end, and the final revelation/twist was pretty redundant. But still: One of the better thrillers in a long while.
Rated 21 Mar 2011
joojooJooJoo
Rated 14 Oct 2010
5
80th
Brimming (at times, overflowing) with paranoia and suspense. The muted look, able cast, & score bring this up a notch as the script does dip in a few minor areas. This one's a keeper.
Rated 14 Oct 2010
pigletPiglet
Rated 21 Jul 2010
73
72nd
I liked how you remain in suspence right until the end. Great casting as well, especially Wallach.
Rated 21 Jul 2010
johnsandwichJohnSandwich
Rated 03 Aug 2010
60
41st
Well-shot, but it sort of just... fizzles, and its plot is bordering on the outright (laughably) ridiculous, despite the cleverness of the whole "the ghost" (who, psoiler, is now also a ghost) telling the ghost's (Lang) story. Wow this is poorly written, even for me. Anyways, good-looking but not very good suspense film imo.
Rated 03 Aug 2010
filmfreak88filmfreak88
Rated 13 Sep 2010
80
78th
The Ghost Writer will always be known as that movie in 2010 which was doomed from the getgo. It was obvious the film was going to be overshadowed by its controversial director no matter how good it was. Which is a shame really because it's really good. Polanski has crafted a terrific political thriller brimming with intriguing mysteries that can keep you guessing. The pacing is good, the atmosphere is appropriate, and even the obvious allusion to Blair is particularly well-handled.
Rated 13 Sep 2010
ewp805ewp805
Rated 05 Aug 2010
85
85th
Solid political thriller from Polanski. McGregor and Brosnan are great at the helm and the film keeps you guessing until the end. Also, major props for the Eli Wallach cameo.
Rated 05 Aug 2010
luna6ixLuna6ix
Rated 07 Nov 2012
75
52nd
This movie had promise. It's got a thick, murky plot, some great actors, some decent writing, and it doesn't hurt to have Polanski too, but this one ends up petering out. It loses its suspense near the end, but manages to regain a little bit of its integrity for a pretty decent ending.
Rated 07 Nov 2012
mjvmoviemanMJVmovieMan
Rated 03 Sep 2010
64
36th
Polanski's film took a while to draw me in, and despite excellent acting and a solid story, the movie kept me at a distance and lacked a certain urgency. I never became wrapped up in the suspense until about midway into the movie, and that seems far too long to wait. Even by its rapturous conclusion, I felt a great deal of "so what," as if the entire movie unfolded and left me in dust. As a quiet political thriller, it works, but it steps much too lightly to peak my full interest.
Rated 03 Sep 2010
jlewisjlewis
Rated 01 Jan 2011
80
41st
Forgettable film. Unconvincing characters and uninteresting story line.
Rated 01 Jan 2011
gideonGideon
Rated 05 May 2011
2
59th
Not overly impressed by this thriller, directed by Roman Polanski. It sure takes its time, therefore the introduction too long. The characterisation is not up to par, to contribute to the premise of the story. The acting overall is quite alright, especially by McGregor. The ending however is flat out slap stick, which for me, was the real downfall.
Rated 05 May 2011
spunkieSpunkie
Rated 22 Jul 2010
50
40th
Sly humor permeating especially middle section resembles good times of Polanski. Yet the story is spineless, a generic political tale. I suspect I won't remember it in a month.
Rated 22 Jul 2010
moraesfelipemoraesfelipe
Rated 02 Aug 2010
84
90th
I find The Ghost Writer such a film, such an achievement, that I do not dare to say this is not a great feature by Polanski. Everyone, I mean, the critics are saying that it can't be compared to his greatest ones, but I just think that this movie is as quiet and disturbing as Chinatown. And I'm sure that I won't see Pierce Brosnan repeating his impressive perfomance as Adam Lang in a while.
Rated 02 Aug 2010
johnnyboy2JohnnyBoy2
Rated 30 Mar 2010
78
43rd
Overwrought at times, and verges on outlandishness at times, resulting in some political thriller cliches, but tight pacing and mostly fantastic acting keep it together, warts and all.
Rated 30 Mar 2010
paxtonPaxton
Rated 07 Apr 2012
64
45th
So we watch a preview and then another one starts and it's this ferry approaching the screen, and it's taking its time in setting up the scene and I'm thinking, "This is the best preview I've seen in years. I'm dying to know what this movie is about." And then three minutes later I realize the movie has started and it's Ghost Writer. It never got up to that initial mistaken preview sense of glee, so it was a bit of letdown.
Rated 07 Apr 2012
judge_holdenJudge Holden
Rated 07 Nov 2010
5
69th
A relatively standard political thriller with a particularly bland protagonist. The major revelation is rushed and absurd (google knows everything apparently) and will diminish the power of much of what preceded it, save for the memorable performances and ominous atmosphere. It's Polanski, though, so you know it's worth seeing.
Rated 07 Nov 2010
thedicemanTheDiceman
Rated 25 Mar 2011
70
82nd
Very good.
Rated 25 Mar 2011
cagedwisdomcagedwisdom
Rated 26 Apr 2010
75
65th
My viewing of this was somewhat impaired by screening room tech problems but I liked it a lot nonetheless. If anything I'd say the sense of setting, so important to a crime mystery, felt somewhat weak to me. Acting is tremendous though, and Polanski's direction perfectly tight.
Rated 26 Apr 2010
rossRoss
Rated 21 Jul 2010
85
89th
This is one of the best political thrillers ever made. It is quite reminiscent of The Ninth Gate both visually and in the brilliant score, and both films are among Polanski's finest works. The cast is amazing and the story is entertaining and suspenseful all the way through.
Rated 21 Jul 2010
bitch_alertBitch Alert
Rated 19 Apr 2010
80
78th
The controversial helmer returns with a fascinating political thriller seasoned with brilliant performances by all the key players. Polanski might've lost some of the edginess he possessed back in the day but there's still a certain paranoid athmosphere present throughout the film.
Rated 19 Apr 2010
mandymandy
Rated 30 Jan 2012
5
18th
Ghost was an interesting idea although it was a little too conspiracy theory-ish for me. There were some tense moments and a typically Polanski outcome. I didn't find the acting particularly believable and was unmoved by their fates.
Rated 30 Jan 2012
paradigmaParadigma
Rated 11 Sep 2010
65
60th
Oh come on, i will not give credit to absurdities like finding out an active CIA agent on the internet -Emett- and what about that "I've solved the mystery and here is my proof lady" card! Okay, liked the atmosphere and that slow pace also but this is not a masterpiece from a very old and thought to be wisdomed director. Obviously jail weren't good for Polanski.
Rated 11 Sep 2010
timmotimmo
Rated 13 Feb 2011
80
44th
Great. Cold, dark, and unsatisfying.
Rated 13 Feb 2011
abunchofcatsABUNCHOFCATS
Rated 10 Aug 2010
88
78th
Quite suspenseful with great performances from all involved.
Rated 10 Aug 2010
viciousVicious!
Rated 03 Jul 2011
85
76th
Super altmodischer Thriller, der aber keinesfalls altbacken daher kommt. Clevere Geschichte, interessante Charaktere, fantatstische Bilder und eine Atmosphäre, die einem Kammerspiel gleicht. Ein Politthriller, der sich endlich einmal ein wenig selbst zurück nimmt, ohne träge zu wirken. Weniger ist eben wirklich manchmal mehr. Neben dem tollen Brosnan trumpft Ewan McGregor auf: Er gibt den unvermittelt in den Mittelpunkt geworfenen, paranoid werdenden Ghostwriter unnachahmlich real.
Rated 03 Jul 2011
damildamil
Rated 15 Jan 2012
60
43rd
I thought it was good. Not as captivating or thrilling as I was hoping for, but good. I was impressed by Pierce Brosnan & especially Olivia Williams. Kim Cattrall, however, was terrible. It was slow at times & the ending was a bit anti-climactic, but it was well-made & looked great. It's based on a novel, & I really felt that throughout the film. Some of the scenes felt like something straight out of a book. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, but if you like political thrillers, give it a go.
Rated 15 Jan 2012
citizenxCitizenX
Rated 07 Oct 2010
30
17th
superboring, didnt catch my attention for 2h ... bad acting, bad story, bad soundtrack, ... didnt make me turn it off though
Rated 07 Oct 2010
rufamRufam
Rated 27 Jul 2010
70
57th
Kudos to Roman Polanski for turning an uneventful script (that would translate into a tedious film in the hands of another director) into a tense, intelligent little thriller that carefully builds the tension and pays off in the final act. Ewan McGregor is ideal for the leading part and Pierce Brosnan is good as well. Overall, nothing spectacular, but worth seeing for the spooky atmosphere and feeling of menace throughout the film -Polanski's trademarks, after all.
Rated 27 Jul 2010
onscreenOnScreen
Rated 15 May 2010
65
46th
http://zoopy.com/q/4du6 Here's the full story!
Rated 15 May 2010
cinematicespCinematicESP
Rated 25 Jun 2011
80
52nd
The building mystery and intrigue are ultimately more compelling than the final results, but the former is worth the watch alone. It also happens to look gorgeous.
Rated 25 Jun 2011
teftef
Rated 25 Jul 2010
78
41st
On the contrary, we can kill you like cats, or rats, bats, gnats, brats...
Rated 25 Jul 2010
valenzettiValenzetti
Rated 16 Dec 2010
86
75th
The master has another go at the familiar but fertile grounds of Frantic, and it's both more subtle/slow-burning and Hitchcockian/conspiratorial-to-the-point-of-absurdity. The tongue-in-cheek ending answers the ultimately outlandish unraveling wisely, allowing the more nuanced social commentary to shine. Camerawork is great, of course. Belushi (thankfully brief) and Cattrall are inexplicable as always. I like to think that Gordon Brown watched it and thought it was about him.
Rated 16 Dec 2010
stuie299stuie299
Rated 17 Apr 2012
70
31st
Ewen McGregor gives a superb performance, however the first half of the movie was nothing more than a test of the audience's patience. The movie clocks in at 128 minutes which could have easily been pared down to 105 or even 90 minutes. Doing so would have made it a faster paced more concise movie and would have left more time for a stronger resolution. Instead like a runner who stumbles at the beginning of a race this film gets to the finish line to late for first place.
Rated 17 Apr 2012
kito1kito1
Rated 01 Feb 2017
70
73rd
Good protagonist, really nice visuals and feeling. Watching once is enough.
Rated 01 Feb 2017
spokowapSpokoWap
Rated 15 Dec 2010
85
92nd
Swietny thriller
Rated 15 Dec 2010
paraguay1001Paraguay1001
Rated 27 Sep 2013
84
47th
Superior thriller. Well acted.
Rated 27 Sep 2013
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 21 Apr 2011
84
77th
Very well paced political thriller that isn't particularly original but makes up for it with great execution.
Rated 21 Apr 2011
reversereverse
Rated 19 Aug 2012
90
86th
The tight script and effective direction alone would be enough to carry this political thriller. Together with the good performances, the beautiful cinematography and the spot-on political message, The Ghost Writer is a sheer pleasure to watch.
Rated 19 Aug 2012
nick_hamdenNick Hamden
Rated 03 Jun 2013
60
47th
Based on a book by an author I like. Never read the book. Glad too, or else I would have been confused.
Rated 03 Jun 2013
sebbysebby
Rated 08 Aug 2010
80
91st
The ending shot is gloriously Polanski.
Rated 08 Aug 2010
wetwillieswetwillies
Rated 20 Sep 2010
92
89th
A modern day Hitchcock film. Extremely good. There are some excellent sequences (The paper passing!) and both Ewan and Brosnan turn in good performances. Ultimately, The Ghost Writer succeeds because it keeps you uneasy for the whole film.
Rated 20 Sep 2010
worstcasesceworstcasesce
Rated 05 Jan 2011
1
0th
Shit, say what you want about Roman Polanski's personal life, but in a professional sense, he is and remains a filmmaker at the top of his game. Tightly-wound and smart, this is, plain and simple, a great political thriller. The real standout here is Olivia Williams: slap an award in her hand and start putting her in more films already. Score is not a grade.
Rated 05 Jan 2011
petrostserPetrosTser
Rated 27 Jul 2010
90
97th
With a good cast of actors (McGregor, Brosnan, Wilkinson) supporting the inspired script and with skilled handling on his part, Polanski ravels a dense mystery film which might have the unoriginal main theme of intrigues and webs of corruption, but, with exciting action sequences, ominous twists, gloomy imagery, otherworldly landscapes, weird deaths, good humour and, thankfully, no cliches or happy endings, manages to stand out as a fresh and charming universe.
Rated 27 Jul 2010
hakkanarejohakkanarejo
Rated 30 Aug 2015
95
63rd
The film centers on an unnamed ghost writer (McGregor) hired to finish the memoirs of a former UK Prime Minister, Alan Lang (Brosnan). Lang is retired and living in the United States with his wife (Williams). We learn from the very beginning that the previous ghost writer died in mysterious circumstances. We sense something fishy about all this and so does the ghost writer. Soon after arriving the former Minister is caught up in a scandal that arises from his controversial past.
Rated 30 Aug 2015
ramiroRamiro
Rated 22 Jan 2011
75
72nd
Despite the cliches of the body of the movie, the brillant ending saved this common thriller to a Polanski film. Of course, we will never see again a movie of the quality of Chinatown.
Rated 22 Jan 2011
fra_paolofra paolo
Rated 18 Oct 2012
48
50th
Full of plot holes, technically rather old-fashioned, but a well-made, well-paced thriller.
Rated 18 Oct 2012
kavuKavu
Rated 22 Jul 2010
82
76th
Pretty basic political thriller that does everything right. Polanski's directing is solid and the ending is superb. Good acting in the leads and even better in some supporting roles.
Rated 22 Jul 2010
robertaRoberta
Rated 07 Feb 2011
74
40th
It's very good but at the same time doesn't present anything new or fresh to the conspiracy thrillers. The good thing is that it's Polanski.
Rated 07 Feb 2011
agentsands77Agentsands77
Rated 18 Jul 2010
75
69th
A well-plotted, even-keeled thriller with a phenomenal ending.
Rated 18 Jul 2010
ryan_luedersRyan Lueders
Rated 05 Oct 2012
75
40th
A Roman Polanski film with some political intrigue. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Well, not exactly. I felt like I waited most of this movie for something major to happen and finally when the twist was revealed I was a little let down. Even the ending seemed a little abrupt. Ewan McGregor was really great in this and Olivia Williams was also really good as well. It was just a long movie with hardly anything in return for the hours spent on the movie. So I would say it's ok, just not great.
Rated 05 Oct 2012
cclzaCCLZA
Rated 07 Aug 2010
80
77th
Even if the film loses steam and direction in the second act, the wonderfully sleek setting, large amounts of comic moments and the clever ending make up for it.
Rated 07 Aug 2010
zozanZozan
Rated 30 Oct 2010
35
35th
Not too interesting.
Rated 30 Oct 2010
yiannosYiannos
Rated 05 Nov 2017
50
26th
(Viewed on 8/05/11): The Ninth Gate wasn't great, but it at least had a genuine sense of mystery and an intriguing premise. T.G.W is a stubbornly old fashioned and pedestrian Hitchockian thriller from a director who has proven himself capable of so much more. The performances are fine and the story moves along at a respectable clip, but it's overly glossy and middling to the point of being faceless; you'd have to examine it under a microscope to see Polanski's fingerprints. The ghost director.
Rated 05 Nov 2017
mlightle3mlightle3
Rated 12 Apr 2010
81
65th
Can't say I loved it, though it was very well written, but there was too much leading up to the reveal, which I felt was anti-climatic.
Rated 12 Apr 2010
closedmouthclosedmouth
Rated 19 May 2015
80
68th
Great stuff, a really tense, effective thriller. McGregor and Williams are both terrific, though I guessed the twist, or at least the general gist of it, about halfway through. Also Polanski doesn't exactly show a great aptitude for portraying politics, and the attempts to fake the US are clunky to say the least. Other than that I really enjoyed it. Oh, and try not to see the American version as I did, with all the ridiculous bowdlerised swearing. It's really, really bad.
Rated 19 May 2015
darkcloudDarkCloud
Rated 29 Oct 2017
88
77th
Holds the suspense till the end.
Rated 29 Oct 2017
cowmanCowman
Rated 17 Jan 2014
70
56th
Well made, but it lacks the excitement it needs.
Rated 17 Jan 2014
billkerwinbillkerwin
Rated 06 Aug 2010
85
66th
Not much moral or psychological depth, in spite of the possibilities of the plot, but Polanski directs with such elegance and skill that the film at first seems better than it is. The cinematography is muted and ominous, every camera set-up is beautiful in itself yet subordinate to the plot, and the performances are subtle and fascinating. (Olivia Williams is particularly fine.) Except for Hitchcock, no other director is as effective at finding dry humor in the most suspenseful moments.
Rated 06 Aug 2010
chr1sCHR1S
Rated 24 Mar 2012
80
84th
An excellent political thriller filled with humor.
Rated 24 Mar 2012
perrystroikaPerryStroika
Rated 27 Feb 2012
65
67th
A light confection, pure entertainment, tossed off, but very well crafted. Polanski is a master of the mechanics of suspense, the way he sets up a mystery, stingily lets information slip out, and then pulls it together at the end. Love that last shot at the end with the papers flying in the wind too.
Rated 27 Feb 2012
kramyessevKramYessev
Rated 19 Feb 2012
56
35th
Well this was disappointing. I probably should have chosen a better film as my first Polanski. Buried beneath the mostly awful acting (everyone is painful, especially Kattrall, with the exception of the older cast and Brosnan), terrible pacing and dull use of colors (purposeful or not), is a decent, interesting political thriller with a fair few "twists" that I didn't see coming. The resemblance to Blair is extremely interesting and actually well done. The ending was quite unsatisfactory.
Rated 19 Feb 2012
ag0stomesmerAg0stoMesmer
Rated 30 Jul 2012
2
46th
As good as the cast and camerawork were they couldn't quite overcome it's odd, out-of-touch setting and script.
Rated 30 Jul 2012
huahHuah
Rated 08 May 2012
93
85th
Polanski has done it again with prose and style, another film that is reflecting of troubles of the times we're in, and the significance of the political incompetence in modern times which is a recurring theme rightfully so. Sleek and intelligent with the elegance of the poignantly genius cinematography of Polanski, he never fails to impress.
Rated 08 May 2012
redactedredacted
Rated 09 Aug 2010
78
64th
The final shot in The Ghost Writer reflects a position a lot of people are reduced to on the War on Terror. Yes, they got talked into it. Yes, they supported an invasion. Now, with the information made as available as TGW made it to its audience, the damage left in its wake is seen in a new light. Empowered with that knowledge the audience, like us, can only watch on helplessly as real history gently passes the public by, only to be rewritten by the powers that be. Truth is the only ghost here.
Rated 09 Aug 2010
metropicalmetropical
Rated 16 Sep 2011
90
73rd
very cool. Right to the end.
Rated 16 Sep 2011
simpliciosimplicio
Rated 03 Sep 2010
66
37th
There's a brave and honest study of a collapsing family/dynasty here, one that could have been so much more had it not been strapped to a tepid political whodunit. The setting, both socially and geographically, is superb, subdued paranoia with an edge of violence, but McGregor's given a bit of a placeholder for his protagonist, and then everything needs to get tidied up for the end. Bah. The fun here was in the not knowing.
Rated 03 Sep 2010
rthornhillrthornhill
Rated 17 Aug 2010
89
67th
date viewed: 8/14/10 pros: great casting, especially with the supporting roles. cons: nothing of note. favorite line: "the whole summer is a blur, a very happy blur". recommendation: absolutely, thumbs up!
Rated 17 Aug 2010
arandurarandur
Rated 26 Aug 2010
62
45th
Politikanin kirli carklarini gosteriyor.
Rated 26 Aug 2010
msworddocmsworddoc
Rated 21 Jul 2010
80
67th
luckily the hamfisted tony blair plot device doesnt really detract from the film
Rated 21 Jul 2010
12yots12yots
Rated 13 Sep 2013
78
57th
So mediocre. The "pages with capital letters saying G H O S T W R I T E R filling the screen"-cut to credits is a great symbol for everithing that's wrong^W mediocre with this movie, for its unintended unsubtlety.
Rated 13 Sep 2013
seenmanyseenmany
Rated 24 May 2016
87
76th
nice, i liked it
Rated 24 May 2016
nutcrackrnutcrackr
Rated 30 Apr 2012
83
89th
Very classy film that should keep you enthralled from start to finish. Not much in the way of action but great dialogue and pacing. Quite funny too.
Rated 30 Apr 2012
lrampartllrampartl
Rated 14 Mar 2010
28
8th
Where do I start? Kim Cattrall's disappearing/re-appearing accent, the decoder ring Ewan needed at the end, the carnival-esque soundtrack, or the utterly pointless and useless plot?
Rated 14 Mar 2010
stainStain
Rated 09 Mar 2010
80
68th
Nifty little political thriller. Pierce Brosnan as the highly Blairish former prime minister of the UK with more than a few skeletons in his closet is perfect casting, all is paced well and shot well, and the story, even when all has become clear, is all too credible a scenario
Rated 09 Mar 2010
prozproz
Rated 26 Jun 2011
84
31st
It could be at least a bit shorter... Well, with friends, wine and comments the movie was watchable. But come on, seriously, too simple, too predictable and even quite boring.
Rated 26 Jun 2011
seanberndorffSeanBerndorff
Rated 29 Dec 2010
70
53rd
Mostly a very ordinary thriller, but a very effective one that is.
Rated 29 Dec 2010
burkayadaligburkayadalig
Rated 18 Mar 2011
90
88th
witty and clever dialogues, wonderful colors, a perfectly composed soundtrack... one of the most enjoyable movies of 2010, I wonder why it had no nominations in any of these...
Rated 18 Mar 2011
madisonMadison
Rated 09 Oct 2010
50
4th
Snooze.
Rated 09 Oct 2010
painkillerPainkiller
Rated 07 Jan 2011
56
2nd
A pretty middling adaptation of a mediocre book. The film spends too much time establishing that Adam Lang = Tony Blair, and doesn't get into the conspiracy theory stuff until nearly halfway through. But my biggest complaint is that The Ghost Writer never manages to establish the scale of the plot and just how much of impact it actually had. What are the stakes of this conspiracy being revealed? It's left for the viewer to assume almost everything, which makes for a bad political thriller.
Rated 07 Jan 2011
aflickeringAFlickering
Rated 29 Dec 2012
4
55th
i want a polanski who's scavenging for some last great artistic statement before the sky falls, one which challenges and provokes and enrichens with fervent zeal, not filmmaking 101 from a guy at the top of his game...
Rated 29 Dec 2012
beautyblissBeautyBliss
Rated 23 Jun 2011
75
42nd
Decent, but a bit strange. Maybe they didn't completely succeed at making the point they were trying to make.
Rated 23 Jun 2011
davidblastDavidBlast
Rated 29 Aug 2010
70
65th
What Polanski does very well is tension between people, and there's tons to be found in this above average thriller, helped enormously by Alexandre Desplat's moody and unsettling score, and fine performances from the cast. Annoyingly, the plot was rather dull - even borderline silly (Some 'codes' were grammar school kind of ridiculous), but still: the ending just put a good ol' smile on my face.
Rated 29 Aug 2010
mrcarmadyMrCarmady
Rated 11 Jun 2011
76
27th
Yes, politically it breaks no new ground whatsoever, but it's brilliantly suspenseful and features one of the best Brosnan performances I've seen (+ Wallach, Wilkinson, Williams, etc.)
Rated 11 Jun 2011

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