Unter Beobachtung

It was a bit difficult getting up the motivation to do a write up for this one, as it does not inspire. But it is very believable, with a realistic feel in script and action. Both sharp and taut throughout, this is meant to be more intellectually stimulating than adrenaline releasing. A movie that makes you think. I found the tone and atmosphere, at least in part, to be comparable to Roman Polanski's recent effort in The Ghost Writer.

There seems to be a resurgence in recent years in both the practice of and appreciation for the well honed tension that Hitchcock was famous for. This has some of that. It seems that making what most would call a good movie was not the aim here, as much as having something to say, and wanting it said well. Which it was. What was said bothers you a bit, after.

If you combined elements of the legal drama in Syriana, the syntax of a big brother government in Enemy of the State, along with the perfect pace and proper tension in The Ghost Writer, you'll have an idea of the movie. Perhaps that's what he was aiming at. It isn't as good as any of those films. But definitely worth seeing if you want something more cerebral.

Without giving anything away, it seems they were very clever in an almost feigned attempt at a happy ending. A bit of psychological warfare I think. You'll have to see it to know what I'm talking about. Much too lite for such a serious threat. But then, that was probably the intention. It kind of helps drive it home and makes it stick to you. Some complained about it being too short. I do want my money's worth, but I don't think the time affected the quality of the movie.

http://fullgrownministry.wordpress.com/2013/07/29/no-anxious-thought/

With good performances and good chemistry from Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall, "Closed Circuit" is an exciting legal thriller that makes you wonder whether there may be something about those conspiracy theories that we have all heard since 9/11. Beautifully crafted, the film will keep you on the edge of your seat and inform you about the British legal system. If, toward the end, it turns a bit into the realm of make believe, it is all done in a way where the protagonists never seem so far fetched in their actions that all of a sudden the film turns into Mission Impossible. Everyone knows that this IS possible and it's what makes the film good.

Closed Circuit is a good, although unexceptional, suspense movie. The movie has a strong start but a weak finale, and somewhere in the middle looses stream and starts plodding along to its inevitable conclusion. The story itself tests the limits of plausibility and features principal characters who have little warmth and fail to generate much empathy. The question of government duplicity is treated in an unimaginative manner and fails to generate any sense of concern or outrage. Yet the movie does entertain by generating a certain level of tension, albeit watered down. The question of cover up sustains the story and adds an element of tension. Yet there are no heroes which makes the ending anticlimactic. That certain scenes are set at a football game is unoriginal. Further, the alleged victim of a miscarriage of justice is hardly worthy of empathy and the same goes for his family, especially the fourteen year old son who belongs in juvenile detention. The acting is cheesy, the cinematography unspectacular, the story twists and turns predictable and the movie theme muddled. Yet, this movie should be watched because it dramatizes what happens when the truth is suppressed and transparency is discarded in favor of secrecy.

"From infancy on, we are all spies; the shame is not this but that the secrets to be discovered are so paltry and few." John Updike

Thrillers involving international heavy weights like the super British spy agency, MI5, are durable, reeking of intrigue and inscrutability. Such is the case of Closed Circuit with its terrorism incident killing scores of civilians and a subsequent trial at Old Bailey, where Martin Rose (Eric Bana) has been appointed defense counsel for accused spy, Farroukh Erdogan (Denis Moschitto). Many questions are unanswered before the trial, not the least of the answers sealed in documentation not even the accused may see.

The plot has intelligent qualities; the execution not so. Martin's colleague, Claudia (Rebecca Hall), is a special advocate for the defense—only she may see the secret information. Unfortunately they had an affair, a fact that may compromise their case. One of the main players in the investigation is a young boy, a plot turn with possibilities but never fully exploited.

And so it goes, nothing really new after that. Some good guys turn out to be bad, MI5 is not transparent, and the accused is not who we thought he was. The closed circuit motif, introduced at the titles and interspersed throughout, is not as important as the title and occasional shots would suggest. Except for the shots of London around the Eye, nothing seems to be worth spending millions on the film for.

After the secrets have been revealed and the plot twist dutifully rendered, you may leave the theater feeling you missed something. You didn't. It's all a part of the requirements of the genre, perhaps a comforting feeling that you knew it all along. As for me, I missed what it could have been in my favorite city in the world.

i just want to say that i only took a peek at the first few lines of the first review on the first page and that was it...and i have to say that i have to agree with the reviewer and as a matter of fact, that was the first thought that occurred to me. this movie is a lot like the movie " ghost writer ", so if you liked aforementioned movie...which i did, then you will probably, most likely enjoy this movie also. did the British government have anything to do with the low rating? this movie was so much more juicier then the " ghost writer "...i mean come on man this is first rate movie making with a bunch of "A" list actors and actresses who were up to the task. there is nothing that i dislike about this movie except for its running time, which is too short for a good thriller like this. this movie literally had me eyes glued to the screen it was so juicy. i like a movie with a lot of twists and tension thru-out the movie and the ending to me was kind of unexpected. Kudos to all involved for coming out with such an entertaining movie.