Roman Polanski is another one of those. I've seen Chinatown, The Pianist and Death and the Maiden. And I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that before today, that was the extent of it. Because aside from being the center of the media's attention for ages, Polanski is also one of the most respected filmmakers out there.

The Ghost Writer (2010)

Ewan McGregor's character, known simply as The Ghost, is hired to finish the memoirs of a former British Prime Minister, after the previous ghost writer meets an untimely demise in a brilliant minimalistic opening. He soon finds himself in a precarious situation, as this Prime Minister is accused of being a war criminal. The media is watching. The people hate this Prime Minister. And The Ghost starts uncovering piece by piece, who and why and how this man is.

I've got to say, my political thriller repertoire leaves something to be desired. I don't think I'm very good at watching them, most of the time. I usually find it very hard to find any one that stands out, since it's a subgenre that really offers itself to formulaic abuse. But this one is special.

The story builds so beautifully. Right from the start, you are drawn in in such an elegant manner. The ferry docks, the cars get ready to go off. But one unmanned vehicle stands still, blocking a line. The ferry guys direct the traffic around it. "Look, someone should be there and isn't" is so much more subtle than "Look, he's dead", and leaves a much bigger impression on you. It's because you're given time to think. You deduce. Even if the deduction process is a matter of seconds, there immediately exists a back and forth between the storyteller and the audience that just makes it that much more involving.

So it took about a minute to draw me in entirely.

The film's pacing works. To be perfectly honest, I thought on occasion that the film got a bit long. But once it was over, I knew it shouldn't have been done any other way. The way you slowly get to know Adam Lang, this former Prime Minister, and the people around him, and the way the media and the people see him - it all serves to paint such a vivid picture. Of course, the fact that Lang's character is very obviously inspired by Tony Blair is never concealed in any way, and so there's a lot of what you know from real life you can interpret into his situation and person. I don't see this as a bad thing at all. Anything to make a film more life-like (and to condemn Blair) is fine by me.

This aspect is where the film really exceeded all my expectations. In feeling so genuine. I never felt as though anything in it was farfetched. Neither from the unfolding plot, nor character-wise. The acting was just as it had to be. I'm no fan of Pierce Brosnan, but he very much convinced me in his role as this hated Prime Minister. Ewan McGregor isn't that exceptional an actor either - not that I don't think he's super awesome (Trainspotting, Star Wars) - but I think with a good script, he really excels.

I've heard a lot of people comparing this to Hitchcock's thrillers. Surely one of the best compliments a film can receive, given the immense quality of the aforementioned. But I agree wholeheartedly. Notorious (probably my favorite Hitchcock), The Man Who Knew Too Much, North by Northwest. I'm kind of strangely proud to live in a time in which a new production can follow that track record without missing a beat.

Oh, and I challenge anyone to try and claim that the last shot isn't flawless.