The Ghost: How to Have Fun With Estuary Accents …

*SPOILERS*

You know, I wouldn’t’ve thought I could get THAT busy, since Tuesday.

Nonetheless … ?

Nonetheless, I seem to have managed to keep busy.

Busy enough to NOT write about the film I rented, Tuesday night.

Which I have to say, is slightly remiss of, when it’s such a solid little thriller … 

~≈Â≈~

At ANY rate … ?

The film I caught, Tuesday, was the 2010 thriller, The Ghost: also known — outside the UK — as The Ghost Writer.

Loosely based on the Robert Harris novel of the same name,  and directed by Roman Polanski, The Ghost sees Ewan McGregor as an unnamed ghost writer, winning the contract to ghost the memoirs of deposed Prime Minister, Adam Lang: loosely modelled on Tony Blair*, and played by Pierce Brosnan.

And discovering — when reaching the very posh, but very isolated, mansion where Lang is staying — that he’s the second ghost writer to be assigned to the memoirs.

The first … has mysteriously died, either as a murder victim or suicide, falling off a ferry from Lang’s island retreat.

What makes things possibly worse … ?   Are the various war crime accusations being thrown at Lang: ones that are hitting uncomfortably near the mark, and making the Ghost’s subject VERY hard to work with.

~≈Â≈~

At ANY rate … ?

You probably wondering if I enjoyed The Ghost … ?

Yes, I did, actually.

I don’t know if it’s the best political thriller, going.   But it’s made with the craftsmanship that Polanski’s known for.

What’s more … ?   It’s based on a Harris novel that was and is, possibly his best piece of work to date: one that no doubt could’ve landed him in seriously deep water, had the Blairs chosen to sue.

Given it claims their fictional counterparts were agents of the US government.

Personally … ?

I’d not expect anything other than a good thriller from The Ghost.

But you will get a thoroughly entertaining — and plausible — one, at that.

The Ghost   ★★★☆

*        It’s very tempting to write the words ‘well known liar and war criminal, Tony Blair’, there: but I’ll forbear.   A body can get into trouble, coming out with libels†, like that.

†        The other spelling of the word ‘libel’ can be found here.