The Ghost Writer—2.5 of 5 stars, and that’s being generous
Posted by metaphorical on 8 January 2011
The Ghost Writer (IMDb, Netflix)
Written by Robert Harris & Roman Polanski, based on the novel, The Ghost by Robert Harris
It’s astonishing that this mediocre movie makes Script magazine’s list of potential Oscar nominees for best adapted screenplay—its mediocrity is deeply rooted in screenplay’s weaknesses.
The fundamental problem is that the movie violates the standard Hollywood understanding of a movie’s story. Drew Yanno, in his book The 3rd Act,, puts it this way:
Somebody wants something badly and goes after it against great odds.
The only thing the protagonist wants at the start of The Ghost Writer is to make a lot of money doing a quick rewrite of a former UK Prime Minister’s memoir. Later, he stumbles upon a secret and tries to unravel it. To be sure, doing so imperils his life, but it serves no interest of his beyond idle curiosity. It also puts at risk the only thing we him wanting.
A post at the blog Complications Ensue says much the same thing at far greater length and disgust, and includes a detailed spoiler-laden summary of the movie’s plot.
Screenplays, 2010 « Politics, Technology, and Language said
[...] 1. The Ghost Writer (Netflix DVD)Written by Robert Harris & Roman Polanski, based on the novel, The Ghost by Robert Harris A ghostwriter, hired to complete the memoir of a former UK Prime Minister when the first writer dies suspiciously, pursues a secret despite putting his own life in peril. I didn’t think much of this movie, and briefly explain why here. [...]