Movie Review: The Ghost Writer (2010)

by Tony Dayoub

In The Ghost Writer, the British Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan), a former prime minister under attack for playing crony to the U.S. and its interests in the Iraq War, is beset by protesters who attack him for aiding and abetting the torture of Muslim POWs. While contending with the suspicious death of writer Mike McAra who was ghosting his memoirs, Lang rides out the tempest in Cape Cod with his wife, Ruth (Olivia Williams); his assistant and possible mistress, Amelia Bly (Kim Cattrall); and new to the mix, the unnamed ghost writer (Ewan McGregor) who replaces McAra.

Directed By: John Boorman

by Tony Dayoub



Directed By is a series of occasional articles dedicated to highlighting great directors and their notable films.

In recognition of St. Patrick's Day, I decided that the best filmmaker to launch this series would be English director, John Boorman, who resides in Ireland. Boorman's films are often distinguished by the theme of man at odds with his environment, literal or figurative. This usually takes the form of the protagonist being alien to the culture or milieu he finds himself surrounded by.