The Ghost

A slick political thriller, The Ghost is Roman Polanski's adaptation of Robert Harris' novel, which reads as testament to Harris' finger pointing at Tony Blair as a war criminal.

Ewan McGregor plays the unnamed ghostwriter drafted in to re-write ex-Prime minister (Pierce Brosnan), Adam Lang's memoirs after his predecessor's watery demise. His lowest-common-denominator style of writing – his previous book about a magician being I Came, I Sawed, I Conquered – is seen as just the sort of stuff necessary to turn the dullness of Lang's memoirs into a best seller to rival those of the Premiership footballers' successful literary oeuvre.

Heading over to Lang's retreat on a Martha's Vineyard-type island, the ghostwriter soon finds himself embroiled in a plot far more intriguing than anything the memoirs have to offer as he discovers details about Lang that whet his appetite to investigate matters further. Ghostwriter becomes gumshoe as McGregor starts sniffing about (quite haplessly really) filling his nostrils with the stench of conspiracy and deceit. All of this going on while Lang himself is facing charges of war crimes as the Foreign Secretary he fired levels accusations at him.

Polanski builds up the tension well and keeps a steady, anxious pace with his long takes and skilful editing. His palette bestows a moody monochrome setting upon the island in keeping with events taking place there. Its vast open spaces contrast sharply with the claustrophobic confines of the house and McGregor's increasing sense of alienation and isolation. And the rain beats down incessantly flooding the screen with mystery and intrigue.

The fairly basic clue-following and revelation does sometime border on the Nancy Drew-type bizarre coincidence school of sleuthing, and the fairly unoriginal, implausible denouement is groan-inducing, unnecessary nonsense – redeemed, it must be said, by the film’s wonderful closing shot. Despite all this, the story holds up well under Polanski’s control – injecting moments of black humour that beautifully season the film’s conspiracy narrative. He maintains a tight focus on the material and (as always) brings out good performances from the cast.

McGregor and Brosnan are well cast in the two main roles – never really pushed beyond their abilities, but do enough to bring life to Harris’ oily PM and thrown in out-of-his-depth ghostwriter to cinematic life. Olivia Williams provides the film’s outstanding performance as Lang’s wife, Ruth – her detached cool exterior masking a controlling observer of events around her.

The film also boasts excellent cameos. Jim Belushi shines as the shiny-headed publisher. The legendary Eli Wallach devours his scene as the outcast inhabitant on the island who provides vital information. And Tom Wilkinson, who always brings a touch of class to roles he makes his own, excels as a shifty Professor with dodgy connections. His restrained menace is a thing of beauty. The film is backed up with a beautiful score by Alexandre Desplat, which rises throughout the film alongside the growing tension as plots thicken and mysteries unravel.

The Ghost, for all its flaws, is be recommended as a mature, well-crafted piece of cinematic spin.