# "The Ghost Writer" Leads Nominations For European Awards
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-writer-leads-nominations-for-european-awards/559804
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [November 7, 2010, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-writer-leads-nominations-for-european-awards/559804 "2010-11-07T17:16:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2010, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-writer-leads-nominations-for-european-awards/559804/21 "2010-12-05T03:01:26Z")
I wasn’t impressed with The Ghost Writer. I thought it was a good enough movie. And, perhaps, I would have given it more credit had it come from a first time director. It was a serviceable story with some excellent performances, but nothing that made it more than an average film. I wouldn’t tell people not to see it, but if they were choosing between seeing it in the theater and watching it at home I would tell them to wait for the DVD and save the money. Therefore, obviously, I am surprised it is receiving awards.
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### Author:  [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2010, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-writer-leads-nominations-for-european-awards/559804/22 "2010-12-05T03:06:51Z")
Yeah, I found it exceedingly mediocre, as well. Well made, to be sure. But I found absolutely nothing about it outstanding (especially the story). Count me in with those baffled at its success.
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### Author:  [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-writer-leads-nominations-for-european-awards/559804/23 "2010-12-05T03:32:55Z")
> [@Equipoise](#):
>
> Uh, what? It has been over 9 months since I’ve seen it, but I don’t remember what America being evil had to do with it at all. Refresh my memory?
::boggle::
Are you _sure_ you saw this movie?
The British Prime Minister is a sort of Manchurian Candidate, created and controlled by sinister American puppet masters who want to bend British policy to their own ends.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2010, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-writer-leads-nominations-for-european-awards/559804/24 "2010-12-05T03:40:47Z")
> [@Spoke](#):
>
> Saw it. Didn’t care for it. More “evil America” nonsense from Europe.
Pretty much every single person in the film is evil, including all the Brits. And not even in a fun way. Talk about the banality of evil…
But I have to admit that I think the only reason it was given so many awards was to contrast Europe’s attitude with Polanski against America’s attitude. (Not that either one can be summed up except in this reductionistic way.)
Not the first time this has happened, and won’t be the last, on either side.
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### Author:  [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2010, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-writer-leads-nominations-for-european-awards/559804/25 "2010-12-05T04:47:06Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#):
>
> Ooh, I’m sorry. He had sex with a 13 year old girl. He’s an epebephile! that makes it OH, SO RIGHT!
User name/ post combo.
I like the film quite a bit. I don’t really care about any artist’s personal history.
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### Author:  [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2010, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-writer-leads-nominations-for-european-awards/559804/26 "2010-12-05T08:39:44Z")
> [@Spoke](#):
>
> ::boggle::
>
> Are you _sure_ you saw this movie?
Well, I did, but admittedly it was 9 months and 258 movies ago. I only saw it once. I just remember liking it and bits about the characters and the interesting setting, and the ending, but not much else, especially since I saw it as a double feature with **[The Last Station](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0824758/combined)**, which I also liked very much.
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### Author:  [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2010, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-writer-leads-nominations-for-european-awards/559804/27 "2010-12-05T08:57:47Z")
The problem is, going into the movie, I was expecting something else - a movie _about_ ghost writing, about what it’s like to suppress your own personality and write in someone else’s voice. It could have beed a fascinating psychological drama and exploration of the artistic process. Instead, I got a run-of-the-mill murder mystery with a slow pace, an obvious femme fatale and an utterly predictable “twist” ending.
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### Author:  [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2010, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-writer-leads-nominations-for-european-awards/559804/28 "2010-12-05T09:22:56Z")
That was the best, huh. Well.
I didn’t think it was awful, but…the best? It sounded sinister, I kept waiting for something to happen, and then…
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### Author:  [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2010, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-writer-leads-nominations-for-european-awards/559804/29 "2010-12-05T11:16:52Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#):
>
> Oh, great, another prize on the shelf for the acclaimed pedophile and movie director. Gee, between Michael Jackson and Roman Polanski, we just can’t honor our talented pedophiles enough!
Wow, we only managed until post number seven.
Because as we all know, having sex with a thirteen year old means your films are crap.
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### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-writer-leads-nominations-for-european-awards/559804/30 "2010-12-05T14:11:04Z")
**amanset** , go take another look at post #19, please.
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### Author:  [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-writer-leads-nominations-for-european-awards/559804/31 "2010-12-05T17:56:00Z")
OP here.
First of all, thanks **Equipoise** for posting the winners!
I thought the film was great! Wonderful combination of eerie, cold scenery that matched the story. This was a film that revealed the storyline in perfect increments - just enough to keep you interested, but not enough to reveal the ending right off the bat.
As the film progresses, you can see how what was supposed to be a simple assignment - write a puff piece about a celebrity, take your money and run - turned into far more.
I liked the pacing, I liked the story and I thought all of the actors did a very credible job of staying true to character throughout the film.
The fact that The Ghost Writer won most of the main awards proves I am not the only one who thinks this was an excellent film.
The film is now available on Netflix and DVD, so check it out for yourself.
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### Author:  [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghost-writer-leads-nominations-for-european-awards/559804/32 "2010-12-06T21:55:26Z")
> [@Alessan](#):
>
> The problem is, going into the movie, I was expecting something else - a movie _about_ ghost writing, about what it’s like to suppress your own personality and write in someone else’s voice. It could have beed a fascinating psychological drama and exploration of the artistic process. Instead, I got a run-of-the-mill murder mystery with a slow pace, an obvious femme fatale and an utterly predictable “twist” ending.
Well, the title of the original novel in the UK was “The Ghost” And the book does have certain insights into the art of ghost writing.
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