From IMDb:
A ghostwriter hired to complete the memoirs of a former British prime minister uncovers secrets that put his own life in jeopardy.
I didn't know anything about this movie beforehand other than Ewan McGregor was in it, along with Pierce Brosnan playing a Tony Blair-like Brit PM just out of power. Ewan gets hired to ghost his memoirs.
Oh, and Olivia Williams plays his scheming wife. I've always had a thing for her because she reminds me so much of Vonne.
Cool cameos by Jim Belushi and Timothy Hutton--both spot on. Great role with Kim Cattrall doing a great Brit accent. Wee bit of Eli Wallach to boot, and Tim Wilkinson in a pivotal scene. My goodness, what not to like?
It's a political thriller, of course, but frankly, what really sells this whole movie for me is the scenery! It takes place on this coolest Mass coast island (Vineyard?) venue with a beach house I would kill for.
Plus, it's about a writer and all that, and it's got all the requisite tension, thanks to great direction from Roman Polanski (I kept saying to myself while I watched, this is like somebody channeling Polanski and then his name came up on credit!). Fun for me, because I was actually approached a while back to consider doing this for somebody of that type.
But again, it was the scenery and the house and that whole nasty, dark, windy beach vibe that had me enthralled. I just wanted to walk onto the screen and live there. Truly, I would consider it a dream retirement situation. I love nothing better than walks on the beech along New England's coast during the winter, and I would gladly leave the mainland for an island situation like that, having loved living on Aquidneck Island so much.
I would even write somebody else's life story to make it happen.
Anyway, great movie. Really top notch and pretty to watch from beginning to end.