The Ghost is an old fashioned political thriller, that is very old fashioned (in a good way) and not so thrilling (in a negative way).

The story - concerning the writing of memoirs for a disgraced former primer minister (in the vein of Tony Blair) - is slow moving, a touch predictable at times, and has a slightly absurd ending.

This matters very little though as the film is made, by Roman Polanski, with such style and grace that it is still entirely enjoyable. Every shot is beautifully composed and well thought out, with infrequent cutting (by today’s standards) and step aways from the constant close-ups many directors now employ.

Slowly paced, wonderfully shot, and very wordy - The Ghost allows the central performances to shine, with Pierce Brosnan as the Prime Minister and Olivia Williams as his wife turning in some excellent performances.