The Ghost Writer: DVD Review

The Ghost Writer: DVD Review

The Ghost Writer
Rating: M
Released by Sony Home Ent

Roman Polanski's latest is a political thriller which sees Ewan McGregor's Ghost Writer brought in to help polish former UK Prime Minister Adam Lang's memoirs following the suicide of the previous writer.

But he finds himself embroiled in a political storm when Lang (an excellently suave Pierce Brosnan ) is caught up in a war crimes trial - Lang's accused of agreeing to the illegal capture and torture of terror suspects for the CIA.

The Ghost Writer is a tense, smart piece of film; a crackling sizzling political thriller - even if occasionally it veers into slightly unbelievable territory (suddenly the ghost writer becomes a crack investigative expert).

But it's the central performance of McGregor which makes this film such a compelling watch as it unfolds in front of you.

Whether it's handling some of the comic relief lines (and dry humour) which are peppered through the script ("All the words are there just in the wrong order" he remarks about the book) or steering us with a sense of impending dread towards the end of the film, you can't take your eyes off him.

It's a great film from Polanski and holds your attention for two hours as the paranoia - and unexpected humour - ramps up as the revelations finally reveal the truth.
Extras: Docos on the DVD - but on blu Ray you get an interview with much maligned Polanski.

Rating: 8/10