Read between the lies.|Feb. 12, 2010|France | Germany | United Kingdom|128 Min.|PG-13
Genre: Mystery;Thriller
Description: The Ghost Writer (2010) tells the story of a ghostwriter, played by Ewan McGregor, who is hired by the publishing company Rhinehart, Inc. to complete the autobiography of former British Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan). The project begins under unusual circumstances, as the ghostwriter’s predecessor, Mike McAra, who was also Lang’s aide, had recently died in a drowning accident. The ghostwriter travels to Old Haven on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, where Lang and his wife Ruth (Olivia Williams) are staying with a team of aides, including Amelia Bly (Kim Cattrall). Initially staying at a hotel, the ghostwriter moves to Lang’s estate after the media discovers Lang’s presence on the island and descends upon it.
The plot thickens when former British Foreign Secretary Richard Rycart (Robert Pugh) accuses Lang of authorizing the abduction of suspected terrorists, a potential war crime. Lang risks prosecution by the International Criminal Court unless he remains in the United States, which does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction. While Lang is in Washington, DC, the ICC announces an investigation into the allegations. Meanwhile, the ghostwriter discovers an envelope in McAra’s old room containing photographs and a phone number. Upon calling the number, he learns it belongs to Rycart. During a rainy cycling trip, the ghostwriter encounters an elderly local man (Eli Wallach) who reveals that the currents could not have carried McAra’s body to the location where it was found. He also learns that a local woman saw flashlights on the beach that night but later suffered a fall and fell into a coma, suggesting foul play in McAra’s death.
In Lang’s absence, the ghostwriter shares his findings with Ruth during dinner. Ruth becomes visibly alarmed and steps outside to clear her thoughts. Upon her return, she reveals that Lang and McAra had argued the night before McAra’s death, hinting at unresolved tensions. Later, Ruth and the ghostwriter engage in a brief romantic encounter.
Cast director: Roman Polanski
Cast actor: Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams, Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Hutton, Jon Bernthal, Tim Preece, Robert Pugh, David Rintoul
Original name: The Ghost Writer