'

The Ghost Writer

Play trailer

The Ghost Writer

PG-13

Released Mar 19, 2010

2h 9m

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

207 Reviews

70%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

When a successful ghostwriter, The Ghost (Ewan McGregor), agrees to finish the memoirs of Adam Long (Pierce Brosnan), England's former prime minister, his publisher assures him it's the chance of a lifetime. Instead, he begins to uncover evidence that suggests his late predecessor knew a dark secret about Lang and may have been murdered to prevent it from coming to light.

Watch on Peacock

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

While it may lack the revelatory punch of Polanski's finest films, Ghost Writer benefits from stylish direction, a tense screenplay, and a strong central performance from Ewan McGregor.

Read Critics Reviews

Deborah Ross

The Spectator

This isn't a great film. You won't carry it around in your heart for years to come... But it'll keep you with it right to the very end, which has to be worth something. It may even be worth quite a lot.

Aug 30, 2018

Full Review

Ed Koch

The Atlantic

The dialogue and suspense created by director Polanski are first rate. You will enjoy this film.

Jan 13, 2018

Full Review

Andrew Sarris

Film Comment Magazine

In the total context of Polanski's hard life and grim ordeals ... The Ghost Writer constitutes a miracle of artistic and psychological resilience.

Jun 20, 2013

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

A subtle and elegant thriller

Rated: 4/4

Aug 22, 2023

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

The first impressionable thriller of 2010. [Full review in Spanish]

Oct 5, 2022

Full Review

Stuart McGurk

NME (New Musical Express)

It's the kind of film that comes along all too rarely, and you find yourself hoping it won't be his last.

Rated: 4/5

May 19, 2021

Full Review

Read all reviews

John C

The sound track was intrusive it gave it a 70’s TV detective series feel. The ending wasn’t supported at all by the plot. How does the Ghost Writer string it all together with practically 0 references during the film. Only to be discovered at the very end, then killed? (Sorry).

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

05/15/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Another great Polanski hit. It's a murder mystery suspense thriller told from the point of view of the memoire ghost writer for a politician who is suspected of deception and abuse of power. The movie has a great flow and you're kept engaged throughout as the plot twists and turns with a completely unexpected end.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/03/25

Full Review

Jed C

A suspenseful spin in the tradition of Alfred Hitchcock. A few too many names to keep track of easily, so do your best to keep remember, but it all comes together in a worthwhile surprise ending.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/29/25

Full Review

Faiz D

A very engaging thriller.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/29/24

Full Review

Dave S

In one of Roman Polanski’s least Polanski-like efforts, Ewan McGregor plays a ghost writer who is helping a former British prime minister (Pierce Brosnan) write his memoirs. However, things take a decidedly bad turn when the former politician is accused of war crimes. The Ghost Writer manages to work thanks to the performances from the impressive cast, which also includes the likes of Olivia Williams, Kim Cattrall, and Tom Wilkinson (among others), and a smart script from novelist Robert Harris. Despite its strengths, the movie doesn’t have much in the way of wow factors and, as good as it may be on a technical level, feels like it is one of the more forgettable pieces of Polanski’s impressive oeuvre.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/24/24

Full Review

Emma C

Not a very good movie. I've heard lots of people say it is but it is very slow. Nothing super exciting ever happens and the ending was a let down

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

04/01/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Roman Polanski

Director

Ewan McGregor

The Ghost

Pierce Brosnan

Adam Lang

Kim Cattrall

Amelia

Olivia Williams

Ruth Lang

Timothy Hutton

Sidney Kroll

The Ghost Writer: Official Clip - A C.I.A. Handler

3:04

The Ghost Writer: Official Clip - Prime Minister Down

2:27

The Ghost Writer: Official Clip - In the Beginning

2:45

The Ghost Writer: Official Clip - Deeper Into the Woods

2:59

The Ghost Writer: Official Clip - A Formal Investigation

2:53

The Ghost Writer: Official Clip - Escaping The Ferry

2:26

The Ghost Writer: Official Clip - Selling Autobiographies

2:17

The Ghost Writer: Official Clip - For a Woman

2:35

The Ghost Writer: Official Clip - The Triangle

2:02

View more videos

Dream House

7%

36%

Dream House

Watchlist

A Pure Formality

80%

88%

A Pure Formality

Watchlist

White Noise

7%

31%

White Noise

Watchlist

Thr3e

5%

51%

Thr3e

Watchlist

Firewall

19%

37%

Firewall

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Pierce Brosnan’s 10 Best Movies

It Follows, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and More Available on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and FandangoNOW

Total Recall: Roman Polanski’s Best Movies

View more photos

Synopsis

When a successful ghostwriter, The Ghost (Ewan McGregor), agrees to finish the memoirs of Adam Long (Pierce Brosnan), England's former prime minister, his publisher assures him it's the chance of a lifetime. Instead, he begins to uncover evidence that suggests his late predecessor knew a dark secret about Lang and may have been murdered to prevent it from coming to light.

Director: Roman Polanski
Producer: Roman Polanski, Robert Benmussa, Alain Sarde
Screenwriter: Robert Harris, Roman Polanski
Distributor: Summit Entertainment
Production Co: Runteam III LTD, France 2 Cinéma, Elfte Babelsberg Film GmbH, R.P. Films
Rating: PG-13 (Brief Nudity|A Drug Reference|Language|Sexuality|Some Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 19, 2010, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 26, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $15.5M
Runtime: 2h 9m

Most Popular at Home Now