The Ghost Writer

It's not really rocket science, as we learn at the end, but Polanski pulls the viewer along very skillfully throughout. The cold and distant atmosphere created by the weepy weather and one architecturally ornate house works. It's not classic "schizophrenia," but McGregor's paranoia grows to unsuspected proportions as the minutes tick by, especially with the equally excellent ensemble cast around him, and I waited for the climax with the eagerness of a small child. The handing of the tickets is one of the most intense scenes of the year. 4 ½. (19/06/2010)

The plot is actually about nothing and the story as a whole is not one of the most thought-provoking and formally unique, but Polanski confirms his qualities and delivers another piece of proper filmmaking, which, hand in hand with an excellent acting duo, is an ideal programme for a long winter evening. I actually don’t see any reason to look for flaws when I had a good time with a well made film... (26/02/2012)

After Polanski's arrest in Switzerland, several articles about him and his work naturally appeared, and at that time, among journalists, there was often the opinion that Polanski's crucial films were in the first half of his career and that he was no longer coming close to the quality of his early films today. I get the feeling that it is exactly the opposite. Although Polanski's work is very balanced, if I had to talk about weaker films, I would name, for example, the famous The Fearless Vampire Killers, which today seems desperately worn out to me, while on the contrary, his later films inspire me much more than the familiar classics. I consider The Ghost Writer to be a top-notch political thriller that, in my opinion, even defeats classics like Three Days of the Condor, and it significantly surpasses films like The Parallax View. This film is a precise work that has returned the sound to the classic methods of building tension, which were introduced, for example, by Hitchcock. By the way, Polanski's work seems much more Hitchcockian to me than any of the old master's films because, unlike Polanski, Hitchcock had quite large fluctuations in the quality of his productions and has dozens of mediocre films to his credit. In addition, Hitchcock's work has been noticeably affected by the passage of time in most cases. Polanski not only creates an excellent atmosphere but also relies on an excellent screenplay that, in its simplicity, is unpredictable and leads the viewer along by the nose for a long time. And finally, the acting performances of Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, and Olivia Williams complete the feeling of a top-notch spectacle. The Ghost Writer does not rely on chases, fights, or high-tech gadgets; its qualities lie in precise dialogues - I consider the clash between McGregor and Tom Wilkinson, with many subtleties and hidden threats, to be a treat - in the interplay of music, camera work, well-chosen pacing, and the screenplay. It's just a shame that new films have a much harder time than old classics, which are aided on one hand by nostalgia but on the other hand don't have to face the criticism and evaluation of viewers who are much more removed from this genre. Overall impression: 95%. (26/02/2012)

If I wanted to be a completely arrogant bitch, I'd throw in something about The Ghost Writer being a completely useless and anachronistic artifact with Tony Gilroy's film on the scene. Its obsolescence stands out precisely in comparison to Michael Clayton, which The Ghost Writer reminded me of a lot through how it was made (and Tom Wilkinson). Polanski tries to move with the times – technology plays a strong role in the film, a major discovery is made through GPS navigation, etc. – but in an age of societies within companies, projects hidden within other projects, corporate mergers, and covert connections between the spheres of state and commerce, The Ghost Writer is simply a step backwards. Not to mention the haphazard logic of crawling in uniform with a gun like a moron to the roof of an airport where one of the world's most watched politicians is about to arrive... sorry. Polanski dominates in the respect he's always mastered. The work with space (I could have easily drawn a detailed floor plan for the mansion where the first half of the film takes place, complete with water and electrical wiring), the pervasive paranoia of the protagonist (the departure of the ferry from which the protagonist has escaped and the visit of a security guard to the hotel room are particularly brilliant scenes), and the exemplary work with actors and mise-en-scene. Fine, except that Polanski really sticks to what he knows and I don't think we'll see anything more from him. PS: Olivia Williams is heavily stylized here à la Tilda Swinton in Michael Clayton (compare the last scene of both characters in those films) and I confess I don't know much about her comic book/video game acting -) (27/10/2011)

Very well crafted, with a gloomy rainy atmosphere, but pretty much about nothing, unfortunately. Given how relatively (unnecessarily) long it is, it almost lacks a twist or a climax. It has a lot of politically biased commentary, but only one tense scene. I must say that Polanski has quite disappointed me with this film. When it comes to tension, it’s only a weak tea of the genre’s best, though with great execution. Compared to this year’s Shutter Island, The Ghost Writer is the clear loser. (08/07/2010)