The Ghost Writer

What a thoroughly satisfying film! This is a mystery/thriller directed and co-written by Roman Polanski. I haven't always liked his films, but three from the 1960s really stand out for me: Knife in the Water (in Polish), Repulsion (starring the young Catherine Deneuve) and of course Rosemary's Baby - I was haunted and frightened by all of them. The Ghost Writer is adapted from a book and revolves around a former British prime minister (Pierce Brosnan) and the writer (Ewan McGregor) who's the "ghost" helping him write his memoirs. The acting by both of them, as well as by Olivia Williams who plays the PM's wife, is excellent; the story (which is a barely concealed take on the current political reality) compelling; the details of scenery, settings, colours and overall visual tone perfect; and the music a fantastic complement to the action, heightening the mood without being overbearing. The score was written by Alexandre Desplat, whom I discovered has written scores for quite a number of recent films (The Queen, Coco avant Chanel, Julie and Julia, Syriana, to name a few) but I don't remember in any of those being so taken by the music as an important part of the film as I was in this one. Anyway, I predict that as this year's films are rolled out, I'll continue to think this is one of the best of the year.