4 stars: Are you sure you want to know, what you want to know?

 Roman Polanski is  one of cinema's top directors directing such revered classics such as "Nó w wodzie"( Knife in the Water) Polanski's directorial debut, "Repulsion"(1965),  the noir classic "Chinatown"(1974), "Tess"(1979),  "Frantic"(1988)," Cul-De- Sac"(1966), "Le Locataire" (The Tenant),  "The Pianist"(2002) and "Oliver Twist"(2005). Over the last forty-eight years, Polanski has established himself as one of cinema's greatest and most controversial directors he has left an impression on Hollywood that will live on long after he has died and some will stand up and cheer when that day happens I might be one of them. There is no denying that Roman Polanski is a director of monumental skill he puts a certain flare and style to sometimes overused plot devices  and stories  making them viable daring pieces of filmmaking that surprisingly surpass anything Hollywood could possibly throw out of their shops. With his latest effort, "The Ghost Writer” Polanski proves to everyone that although he may be down but he is never out.

Roman Polanski's "The Ghost Writer" is a film that relies heavily on atmosphere the atmosphere is everything when it comes to a thriller of this caliber if you do not feel the tension then there truly will be no tension. You see in theses days  with high gloss action thrillers like "Mission: Impossible" series, The Bourne trilogy all the thrillers are turned into high octane action pictures with wall to wall action and inane dialogue, The Bourne  trilogy  being the exception in this case. "The Ghost Writer" is not an action thriller it is suspenseful but not in the conventional way. It does not have huge explosions tons of armed men shooting at the hero  chasing him through some small  jungle country  no, this film does one better it is a calm thriller, a steady thriller an intelligent and engrossing thriller that keeps you invested in what is going on with theses colorful and dark characters. What they are doing is extremely interesting how the unnamed hero goes upon solving the complex mystery he has found himself tangled up in this complex and ever-intriguing film that never lets you down even in the face of a less than riveting ending. What I like most about this film is the tense and present moody atmosphere that seems to possess every scene, this film is a conspiracy thriller but it is also part noir and the key elements of both are very visible throughout the film that makes this movie a deep and enveloping film. The dark cinematography, the electric direction and the sharp, highly intelligent script by Polanski and Robert Harris helps make this seemingly conventional conspiracy thriller a cut above the rest.

This is the kind of film  that keeps you guessing all the way  to the end  that is hard to come by theses day where almost every thriller ends with a huge fight between the hero/heroine and the villain, a bloody shootout  or the hero being killed in the end for what he/she knows. The thing with "The Ghost Writer" is that there is no villain. There is no hero, there are only real people a corrupt politician, his wife, his secretary, and the ghostwriter who is at the center of all the corruption, murder, and deceit is the focus of this tightly bound film a film that proves to be far more than it is appears.

Ewan McGregor is another actor I am a fan of sadly I have not seen many of his films besides the Star Wars prequel trilogy, "Angels and Demons" (2009), "The Island'(2005) and now Roman Polanski’s “The Ghost Writer". McGregor's gives one  of, if not the best, performance  of his career  as the anonymous ghost writer who gets wrapped up in a dangerous web of deadly secrets and sinister truths. McGregor plays this role with a subtle yet fiery sense of duty he gives everything he got to this role and in the end it pays offs big time. Pierce Brosnan  has given some great performances and then some not so great performances in this film Brosnan gives one of the very best performances of his long career  as the seemingly corrupt former British Prime  Minister Adam Lang(who is a thinly disguised mock up of Tony Blair). Brosnan is not as subtle as McGregor  he  gives a fiery and powerful  performances that is steeped with anger and resentment  that  is neither  over the top or poorly acted  it is perfectly suited for this kind of film  the kind of film that needs actors that are  calm, cool, collected and totally in command of there said role. Brosnan is in top form in a thriller that is far superior to others. The rest of the cast including Olivia Williams, Kim Cattrall, Robert Pugh, Jim Belushi,  Eli Wallach and Timothy Hutton  all deliver  stellar supporting in this film that proves that Polanski still has what it takes to tango with the fat cats.

"The Ghost Writer” is not a film that everyone will agree with some will call it overly political and bland. Others will find it  an engaging and  absorbing political/conspiracy thriller  that just keeps throwing out twist after twist after twist and never lets you figure out who is lying to who, who is  behind what and what is going on with theses shady people until the shocker of a finale. "The Ghost Writer" is an inspired piece of work a brilliant and enticing thriller that is neither boring nor dull and puts to mind what really goes on with theses politicians when the camera is not on them.