The Ghost Writer (2010)

A writer (Ewan McGregor) is hired to write the memoirs of a British ex-Prime Minister (Pierce Brosnan) after his writing predecessor dies in a drowning accident. But what seems as a simple enough job turns complicated after he suspects that his predecessor was murdered rather than an accident. Soon, he finds himself over his head in a world of political deceit, corruption, adultery and murder. Based on the novel by Robert Harris and directed by Roman Polanski (CHINATOWN). Polanski is in top form in this terrific thriller. This film would make a great triple bill with ROSEMARY'S BABY and CHINATOWN as McGregor’s character (simply called The Ghost) has much in common with Rosemary and J.J. Gittes. Like them, an innocent who stumbles into a world of malfeasance. The devil coven for Rosemary, the L.A. water fraud for Jake and for The Ghost the unscrupulousness of ….. well, see for yourself. Polanski tightens the vice till you almost can’t stand it (it was a nail biter, literally) and if the ending leaves a cynical bitter aftertaste, it’s pure Polanski. Excellent performances by McGregor, Brosnan, Kim Cattrall, Tom Wilkinson, Eli Wallach and especially Olivia Williams. A corker of a score by Alexandre Desplat that suggests he may well be the best film composer working today. Hitchcock would have been proud. With Timothy Hutton and James Belushi.