394 replies to this topic

[dodge]

Yes, the reviews are enticing. I may end up wishing it had been directed by Martin Campbell, but it still sounds like good dark fun. Hopefully, just the thing to win Brozza some hard-earned respect.

[Loomis]

Just saw on the news that Barbara Broccoli was one of the guests at a special showing in London last night of THE GHOST WRITER that drew the biggest names of the British literary, media and political elites - everyone from Neil Kinnock to Jeremy Paxman, from Ian Hislop to Tom Stoppard, and from Paul Greengrass to Peter Mandelson.

Barbara Broccoli attending a screening of the new Pierce Brosnan film. How ironic. (Maryam d'Abo was also there, fact fans.)

[Conlazmoodalbrocra]

a special showing in London last night of THE GHOST WRITER that drew the biggest names of the British literary, media and political elites - everyone from Jeremy Paxman to Peter Mandelson.

Sometimes I wish bombers read my mind...

[SecretAgentFan]

a special showing in London last night of THE GHOST WRITER that drew the biggest names of the British literary, media and political elites - everyone from Jeremy Paxman to Peter Mandelson.

Sometimes I wish bombers read my mind...

There are some things which just aren´t funny...

[Loomis]

Agreed.

[Conlazmoodalbrocra]

Sorry. It wasn't funny and was said with little thought. I apologise if I caused any offence.

[Loomis]

So I checked out THE GHOST (which seems to have retained its original title for its British release).

For the most part, it's an extremely literal translation of the novel, Polanski seeming to treat Robert Harris as reverently as he treated Thomas Hardy. However, as a piece of cinematic art, THE GHOST does not reach the heights of TESS (or CHINATOWN, or THE TENANT, or [pick your Polanski classic]). But make no mistake, it's still one helluva good time at the movies, and undeniably a very solid effort by one of the greatest living directors. A FRANTIC-style damp squib it ain't.

For me, the chief problem with THE GHOST is a certain Mr E. McGregor - I adore him in TRAINSPOTTING, but confess that I've found him to suck the big one in everything else I've seen him in. In THE GHOST, he displays an almost dizzying dearth of screen presence, which is a problem since not only does he play the hero (a passive, unlikeable character who for some unexplained reason requires a lot of arm-twisting to scowlingly accept the highly lucrative gig of polishing the Prime Minister's memoirs, in spite of the fact that he's a professional ghostwriter - what, he'd rather be doing the "autobiography" of a celebrity chef or a member of Girls Aloud?), but is also virtually required to carry the film, being present in almost every scene. (Brosnan gives a splendid performance, although he has far less screentime than I'd expected, practically vanishing for the entirety of THE GHOST's long and plodding midsection.)

Now, I'm fully aware that Polanski does not tend to go in for whiter-than-white and unfailingly pleasant and virtuous Hollywood heroes (nor should he), but McGregor has neither the moral complexity nor the dark charm of Jack Nicholson's J.J. Gittes - basically, he's pretty boring. Sure, a ghostwriter is perhaps by definition a nonentity.... but a protagonist is a protagonist. Perhaps it's heresy to the cinéaste church to even entertain this idea, but at various points I caught myself wondering whether that cheesy old Tinseltown trouper Nic Cage (whom I gather was the original choice for the role) might have done a better, more palatable job than McGregor.

THE GHOST is also an extremely talky affair - again, I don't mind this, but the decision to lift great chunks of verbal exposition almost verbatim from the novel results in McGregor often displaying the highly implausible habit of reading texts aloud to himself, eyes widening in surprise, as he discovers various clues while alone in rooms, poring over documents. One begins to wonder whether the character is incapable of reading anything without moving his lips.

The performances are a mixed bag. Robert Pugh's espionage-savvy British Foreign Secretary is a hammy turn that seems to belong in a poor man's Bourne outing. On the other hand, Olivia Williams is excellent as Cherie Bla---- sorry, I mean the wife of Brosnan's alarmingly Americanised PM. Tom Wilkinson is great in a creepy supporting role, while there's an amusing cameo from - of all people - James Belushi.

But despite the film's three or four decent performances (and I'll mention again that Brosnan is terrific), none of the characters ever really comes to life. There's an odd sort of Kubrickian coldness about all of them, although that may well have been intentional. And Polanski makes a very curious choice in needlessly telegraphing one of the book's climactic twists.

If THE GHOST is about anything, it's about dealing with aftermaths. Dealing with unintended consequences. Or, rather, trying to cope with such things, usually impotently and ineptly. Which is all well and good, but it means that most of the really interesting stuff happens (has already happened) offscreen. Still, the flipside of that is that what we have here is an often deliciously thoughtful and thought-provoking film.

Polanski's visual wit still sizzles, and no one builds suspense quite as effectively as he does. Putting its flaws to one side, THE GHOST is still one of the most intelligent and sophisticated mainstream movies in years, and a real treat from an old master.

[Eric Stromberg]

Polanski's visual wit still sizzles, and no one builds suspense quite as effectively as he does. Putting its flaws to one side, THE GHOST is still one of the most intelligent and sophisticated mainstream movies in years, and a real treat from an old master.

Agree, Loomis, and thank you for your insights. When I saw Shutter Island and this film at the beginning of the year I couldn't believe what a strong start the film year was off to.

It seems to me that Polanski doesn't make movies with straightforward heroes or really straightforward characters for that matter. He creates an atmoshpere within the story where everyone is complicit. Everyone plays a specific role in the moral tale and every choice Polanski makes is made for a very specific reason to serve that tale. Johnny Depp's character in the The Ninth Gate is certainly more of an anti-hero than hero. His character is more subtle and devious than the cult members he gets involved with in the plot, but he outlasts them in the final competition, and I think there's a Polanski message in that about the nature of true evil.

Agree that Ewan McGregor's character is pretty boring, but I'm also going to consider the possibility of that being a creative choice. He's kind of a normal, boring guy who gets caught in the wheels of a political machine in which he means less than nothing, and perhaps that's to get the audience to identify with the character.

Edited by Eric Stromberg, 22 April 2010 - 10:28 PM.

[Loomis]

I'm sure it was indeed a creative choice, but I do wonder whether audiences usually need a protagonist to be (to some extent, at least) larger than life, even in a Polanski film.

Agreed re: THE NINTH GATE, a flick I saw recently and quite like (although THE GHOST is ten times the film NINTH GATE is).

But I don't want to seem too negative about THE GHOST or McGregor - I mean, you could also argue that the character Polanski plays in THE TENANT is boring (but the film certainly isn't). Really, I was just airing some initial gripes - it often takes a few viewings of a film for my opinion to settle down.

There is no doubt that THE GHOST is terrific stuff, and that Polanski is on excellent form. I guess it's churlish to pick faults when you're talking about intelligent filmmaking of this kind of high quality.... but that's just the way it goes.

That people are even seriously discussing whether THE GHOST deserves to be ranked alongside the likes of CHINATOWN and ROSEMARY'S BABY shows that something very good indeed is currently playing in multiplexes.

[Trident]

Thanks for that detailed review, Loomis. Much appreciated. Haven't seen the film as yet, but I must also say that while reading the book I imagined also an older character as the ghost writer, early to mid-fifties perhaps. The actual amount of action in the book is fairly veiled, either it already happened or it's merely implied. For the novel that still works, but I was a bit sceptic if the film didn't need some changes to work. Apparently, Polanski kept his film close to the book. Too close in your opinion?

[Loomis]

Apparently, Polanski kept his film close to the book. Too close in your opinion?

Well, I wouldn't say too close, although I was very surprised by just how close to the book it is. Paradoxically, I think it speaks volumes about how much creative freedom Polanski had that he was able to exercise the choice of sticking so closely to the novel. The ending is slightly different, though, and I prefer Polanski's conclusion.

I enjoyed the book, but found the film a much more satisfying artistic experience. I mean, with the book you just get Bob Harris. With the film, you get Bob Harris and Polanski. And the latter is better.

[SecretAgentFan]

Very interesting review, Loomis. Personally, I had no problem with McGregor or his character. I always thought that his reluctance to get hired was due to his predecessor´s mysterious death and his own feelings about Lang.

[Harmsway]

Well, I wouldn't say too close, although I was very surprised by just how close to the book it is.

Well, Polanski did collaborate with Harris on the screenplay.

For what it's worth, originally, Polanski was going to adapt Harris' novel POMPEII as an epic period piece, but the financing fell through when the economy went down the tubes and so Polanski turned to Harris' THE GHOST, which was easier to produce. (Because of this, I've actually picked up Harris' POMPEII and will be reading it in the coming month or so.)

Anyway, glad you enjoyed the film. THE GHOST is fine stuff.

[KENDO NAGAZAKI]

Couldn't this thread have been retitled after six months and about 10 pages of people arguing the toss over the Polanski rape case? And then a separate thread have been set up to actually discuss the grossly misleading thread title? It would have saved me a heck of a lot of time traipsing through all of this to try and find some well-written insights and opinions about the film, of which I was misled to believe there were 14 pages worth of.

[Simon]

A mildly diverting and interesting film; the unsettling aspects not nearly unsettling enough, the characters not nearly engrossing enough, the music not bold enough, Brosnan was 'there' and the digital grading again served only to make artificial what was otherwise a series of rainy days.

Unfortunately also, I continue to find it amazing that McGregor has made it big as an actor. I find all of his inflections to be at the opposite end of the tonal scale as to where they are supposed to be. I receive all of his performances as though they were each his very first foray into acting, whereby someone should be to his stage left directing him to end on a low note when he is amaturely ending on a high. He detracts where others perform.

But there was an unrecognisable Wallach and an unrecognisable Belushi, and their appearances kept me wondering 'who on earth they reminded me of' when I should have been considering the import of Tom Wilkinson's character.

[Zorin Industries]

I finally saw THE GHOST WRITER last night (it was called that on the print I saw).

It is a really well punctuated yarn. It could have been slicker and maybe a bit tighter in the first half, but it unfurls its tale with the serenity and attention to detail Polanski does well. Another ten minutes screentime and Pierce Brosnan may well have his crowning post-Bond cinematic glory and may well have caught the attention of the Supporting Actor voting fraternities.

The film is not too preachy and - although it is there - the film is not an anti Tony Blair rant (if anything it is more critical from afar of Cherie Blair). It is good to see Polanksi is a director who is as still relevant and fresh as he was 50 years ago.

[Nicolas Suszczyk]

I'll watch the film this Wednesday, i think.

[The Shark]

Couldn't this thread have been retitled after six months and about 10 pages of people arguing the toss over the Polanski rape case? And then a separate thread have been set up to actually discuss the grossly misleading thread title? It would have saved me a heck of a lot of time traipsing through all of this to try and find some well-written insights and opinions about the film, of which I was misled to believe there were 14 pages worth of.

Where are YOUR well-written insights and opinions? You really expect a group of several thousand posters to rearrange what they're doing all for a single individual who has averaged less than 6 posts a year?

Don't you realise this is the mighty (with a 6K post count) Lazenby. from MI6, you're addressing and degrading?

He's provided more than enough critical analysis and polemic here and there, without having to be fatuously extenuated to the status a worthless n00b.

Cut him some slack, or back off.

[DAN LIGHTER]

Got round to watching it on the big screen at last. Very good. They kept it pretty faithful to the book, which one would expect with Robert Harris writing the screenplay. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good thriller, also the book is a must read. Great cast also. When the list was announced I was a little bit skeptical but they pulled it off. Shame we don't see much of Brosnan in it, he was pretty good. Second best bit of acting I have seen from him.

My only pet hate with the film was the photoshop photos. Cant they pull off realistic looking photos in this day and age:confused:

[blueman]

Saw it, Polanski sure knows how to do a twist, very effective suspenser.

Brosnan totally sucked though, really embarrassing. Cattrall doing an accent was better, and that's pretty bad.

[[dark]]

Missed out on tickets to this at the Sydney Film Festival - looking forward to catching it when it opens nationally later this year. The book was one of the most enjoyable thrillers I've read in the past couple of years.

[SecretAgentFan]

Brosnan totally sucked though, really embarrassing.

I think he gave a terrific performance, one of his best. Do you like Brosnan in any movie or do you hate him all the time?

[The Shark]

Don't you realise this is the mighty (with a 6K post count) Lazenby. from MI6, you're addressing and degrading?

As Connery said in THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN: "I'm waiting to be impressed".

Maybe you should just read more of the guys posts?

He's provided more than enough critical analysis and polemic here and there, without having to be fatuously extenuated to the status a worthless n00b.

I'm not very bright, so I had trouble understanding what you wrote. Could you dumb it down please?

In other words, he's enough intelligent contribution to this forum and MI6, without have to hassled about like some n00b.

[blueman]

Brosnan totally sucked though, really embarrassing.

I think he gave a terrific performance, one of his best. Do you like Brosnan in any movie or do you hate him all the time?

Thought he was good in The 4th Protocol, and he was okay in The Thomas Crown Affair. Acting just isn't his strong point.

[byline]

Hubby and I watched "The Ghost Writer" last night, and while it's not the most engrossing political thriller I've ever seen, I did enjoy it and thought Brosnan acquitted himself quite nicely in the role of Adam Lang. The parallels with Tony Blair were a wee bit too obvious for my tastes. However, I understand that the author had this idea even before the whole Bush/Blair saga played out. I haven't read the book yet but will add it to my "must-read" list.

Edited by byline, 22 August 2010 - 06:45 PM.

[Matt_13]

Watched this the other day as well. Only vaguely resembles Martha's Vinyard, though though they did work in a shot of the bridge on the mainland which was really cool to see. Wasn't a bad film, a little slow but with a great couple of twists at the end.

[Jaws0178]

If I may ask, why will you never watch it? Is it a problem with Brosnan, or another actor\ress, the subject matter, or something entirely different. I watched it with the wife, and found it to be kind of slow at times, and hard to understand, but hey, I don't really follow politics, so there ya go.

[jrcjohnny99]

For those in the LA area, Brosnan is doing a number of personal appearances with the film over the next few weeks;
I'll be going to a screening at the DGA this weekend, then next weekend (the 20th) the Aero in Santa Monica is doing a Brozza double bill with GW and The Matador; tix are on sale now; www.americancinematheque.com

[jaguar007]

http://www.thewrap.c...lm-awards-23008

Roman Polanski's "The Ghost Writer" was the big winner at Saturday's European Film Awards, where it won awards for Best European Film, Best European Director and Best European Actor (Ewan McGregor), as well as receiving honors for its screenplay, music and production design.

Pierce Brosnan and Ewan McGregorPolanski's political thriller is considered a longshot in the Oscar race, but its six wins at the ceremony in Tallin, Estonia far outpaced "Lebanon," which won two awards. No other film won more than one.

The show was hosted by German comedian Anke Engelke and Estonian actor Mart Avandi.

Sorry, no award for Brozza.

[Miles Miservy]

Has anyone yet seen this film? I didn't quite know what to expect but I enjoyed it (despite being directed by R. Polanski). Pierce Brosnan was great in that you couldn't quite get a bead on him as to what color hat he was wearing (not dissimilar to his role in THE TAYLOR OF PANAMA). Ewan McGreggor was GREAT as well. Like Gary Oldman, he is a chameleon actor in the various roles he undertakes. He is one actor never to be typecast. I do not wish to give anything away but It's a very tightly-wound, suspense, thriller that I'd highly recommend.

Edited by Miles Miservy, 14 May 2012 - 04:39 PM.