The Ghost Writer
By Megan Carroll
Steadily creeping suspense, anxiety and tension almost suffocate Roman Polanski’s audience in his new film Ghost Writer. I loved every gasping moment of this film, which is based on Robert Harris’ novel The Ghost. Harris co-wrote the movie screenplay with director Roman Polanski and did a superb job of taking the novel to the screen. The characters of the prime minister and his wife very closely mirror his former friend Tony Blair and Blair’s wife Cherie. A successful British ghostwriter named The Ghost (Ewan McGregor) receives the chance of a lifetime when he agrees to complete the memoirs of former British Prime Minister, Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan), but like all great things in life, they come with a price. It comes out that the only reason he is so honored is that his predecessor, Lang’s long-term aide, died in an unfortunate accident. This is just the beginning: The Ghost is plagued by mysterious troubles from the moment he says ”yes”.
The Ghost is whisked away in the unforgiving winter to an oceanfront house on an island off the United States’ eastern seaboard–a perfect environment to heighten the tension. With a facade of muted colors, stone, metal and wood, the home is almost lost in the stark, similar surroundings. The haunting emptiness of a land void of attention with an ever-present storm brewing sets the tone. The crashing black waves of the sea and freezing nights allow nothing to be heard in the darkness of the icy, desolate landscapes; a perfect back drop for lies to fester and unfold. The colors that surround the cast of characters mimics who they truly are deep inside. The visual aspect of the film is stunning and reminiscent of films like Stephen King’s Dolores Claiborne. An Alfred Hitchcock vibe envelops this film, suggestive of North by Northwest or Vertigo.
Ghost Writer is full of stark scenes filled with a sense of dread. Long shots of people just staring makes you feel like you’re in the middle of one of Rod Serlings’ Twilight Zone episodes. You don’t know what it is exactly, but it’s real. You know something, but you cannot put your finger on it. Information seeps out like sap down a tree mirroring the pace of the film; slow, but drop by drop important. McGregor pushes forward, masterfully putting the pieces together, solving one small mystery at a time as each falls into place like a giant gray jigsaw puzzle.
Polanski makes you feel at one with The Ghost as he stumbles. Not knowing who to trust, knowing that he should not be in this situation, but like quick sand losing ground and control, he is now suffocating and there is no way out. He has to solve the mystery! With any good suspense thriller, you have to be ready to wait for it, to allow it to build, and have patience. Don’t get caught up in the slow pace of the film; work with it. Use the stark visual environment around you and camera shots to let your mind ponder the players, review the facts you have and when its time, be present and move forward with The Ghost.
The most essential part of Ghost Writer is the musical score; the music takes on a life of its own, becoming a deeply compelling character. Alexandre Desplat achieves perfection with this classical, suspenseful score. The nagging fog horn in the isolated landscapes, prominent use of screeching strings and over all presence of the entire orchestra brings the true voice and tone to this film. Being a huge Hitchcock fan, it was very apparent that Desplat was inspired by Bernard Herrmann in his creative musical combinations which only amplify the film noir awareness.
Compared to the recent thrillers on the market, Polanski is a master of this genre. Ghost Writer is a haunting political thriller that reverberates with current themes, and the slow pace and content will speak to a very particular audience.
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