The Ghost Writer

Director: Roman Polanski

The return of the controversial, scandalous, and yet one of the most talented directors of our time, Roman Polanski, to the big screen is, without a doubt, a successful one. With his new work, Polanski sets aside the dramatic atmosphere of his previous movies and returns to the genre of suspense and psychological thriller, in which the majority of his earlier pictures were made.

If you have watched Polanski’s earlier thrillers, then you have probably noticed that almost every film was filled with supernatural and demonic content. Well, this film is different. The director has preferred to stick to realism; nevertheless, it doesn’t make the story less unbelievable.

The main character, a ghostwriter - a writer who writes another person’s memoirs for them - is offered a job to finish the memoirs of former British Prime Minister Adam Lang who, after his retirement, settled into a luxurious house on a small island in the U.S. While in the middle of writing the book, Lang gets caught up in a major scandal, with international ramifications, that reveals just how far he was ready to go in order to nurture the UK’s ‘special relationship’ with the U.S. In order to finish the book the ghostwriter tries to find out, on his own, the truth about Lang’s political and private life. While discovering new details about the ex-prime minister, the main character understands that his personal interest can not only make him lose his job, but can easily cost him his life.

Still, what makes the film truly flawless is an incredible atmosphere of suspense and intrigue, the feeling that you are on that same island, alongside the characters, experiencing their same emotions. Combined with great shots by Pawel Edelman, it captures you and doesn’t let go until the very end.

Polanski has made a film we’ve come to expect from such a talented director as himself, yet this one does differ from his other works. Sticking to his usual style, he is not afraid to experiment, and he succeeds in almost every way possible. ‘The Ghost Writer’ will draw your attention, even if you are not a big suspense fan. 

Now showing in Latvia and Estonia.