Here, this once successful author can’t even come up with an original idea. He was once on the list of top selling mysteries, but lately, this individual can’t even get recognition on the streets. He thinks moving back to the old family home can fix things, but when there are many skeletons lurking in those closets, it’ll be rough! But when he finds his pops discarded a story that he thinks he can fix up, something gets stirred up in the homestead and that’s when the fun begins!
Some things he encounters while at this home are personifications of his guilt. With characters like Jane (Andrea Deck) and Patrick (Brendan Patrick) challenging him to question whether what he’s seeing is real or imagined, that’s when the rising action becomes hit or miss.
The visual elements in this film are quite good, and they remind me of Guy Maddin’s film, Keyhole. As for which movie really stands out, my money is honestly on this Canadian filmmaker’s vision. That’s because the way this film meanders through flashbacks are very low-fi. They aren’t all that memorable. As for the psychological drama that’s included in this take, it took another view to understand what’s going on.
The only trope that really worked for me is in how this film examines the relationship between father and son. The senior is quite the authority figure! I’m amused that the kid decided to follow in his dad’s footsteps instead of eking out some other occupation. Not everyone really understands what its like to live under another’s shadow. Although this film makes a reasonable attempt to explore that trope, the only thing holding it back is in how the tale tries to maintain interest. It’s rather hodge-podge approach slows everything down, and had it been trimmed by 10 or so minutes, it might have been made better.
3½ Stars out of 5
The Ghost Writer Movie Trailer
Story
The story follows a struggling author who discovers his father’s lost story and looks to adapt it with his own name on, only to learn the truth behind the story.
Seeing the setup in the story, it is hard to not look further away than ‘Secret Window’ as it also follows an author that starts seeing a mystery unfold around him. Where he must challenge his own reality. This story does an excellent job of keeping us guessing, even if it relies on a certain type of surprise too often.
Themes
The Ghost Writer is a mystery thriller that sees the blend between desperation from an author and questioning reality. The single location of the cottage creates isolation, which is important for the writing and creation of the thriller.
Final Thoughts – The Ghost Writer is a great mystery thriller, leaving plenty to solve.
Here, he’s an author suffering from writer’s block. He was once on the top seller lists of mysteries, but lately, this individual can’t even get recognition on the streets. He thinks moving back to the old family home can fix things, but when there are many skeletons lurking in those closets, it’ll be rough! But when he finds his pops discarded a story that he thinks he can fix up, something gets stirred up in the homestead and that’s when the fun begins!
Some things he encounters while at this home are personifications of his guilt. With characters like Jane (Andrea Deck) and Patrick (Brendan Patrick) challenging him to question whether what he’s seeing is real or imagined, that’s when the rising action becomes hit or miss.
The visual elements in this film are quite good, and they remind me of Guy Maddin’s film, Keyhole. As for which movie really stands out, my money is honestly on this Canadian filmmaker’s vision. That’s because the way this film meanders through flashbacks are very low-fi, and they aren’t all that memorable. As for the psychological drama that’s included in this take, it took another view to understand what’s going on.
The only trope that really worked for me is in how this film examines the relationship between father and son. The senior is quite the authority figure! I’m amused that the kid decided to follow in his dad’s footsteps instead of eking out some other occupation. Not everyone really understands what its like to live under another’s shadow. Although this film makes a reasonable attempt to explore that trope, the only thing holding it back is in how the tale tries to maintain interest. It’s rather hodge-podge approach slows everything down, and had it been trimmed by 10 or so minutes, the overall story would’ve felt tighter.
3½ Stars out of 5
The Ghost Writer Movie Trailer