Eine Frau an der Front

To tell you the truth, I've never been much of a fan of Lacey Turner, from her East Enders days playing Stacey, although her character Molly is similar in ways to the character Stacey, Lacey's acting for me has improved and my mind's Been changed now I've watched this. She plays the lead role in this and quite rightly too, If you get the chance to watch Our Girl please do so, it was funny in parts but overall it was a gritty drama. Compelling viewing from start to finish. Great acting from the whole cast. I've read that there might be a full series of Our Girl, I hope this is true, there is enough scope for this to be made, I'm already looking forward to it.

I must say that this Film 'Our Girl' is one of the most compelling things i have watched for a very long time. I felt it was so fantastic that i have watched it several times this week and i have expressed the same emotion (cry) every time i have watched it. Lucy Turner takes the title role of a London girl who has a very chaotic life who feels that she wants more from it than she and those around her have. She ends up in an Army recruitment office and the story of how she ends up there becomes clear as you watch the film. As the film progresses and i felt that it was compelling watching you see Molly Dawes (Lucy Turners character name) change her outlook on life and develop qualities and attributes which she had always had but she was not aware of them.Her friendship with Katie a fellow recruit who came from Leyland who had self confidence issues and how they helped each other achieve what they both wanted was an added bonus to this story. The very moving way that the corporal brought the best out of Molly was well done. This whole film is worth watching time and time again and each time i watch it i can see so many different things that the writers wanted to express and bring to our screens. The ending of this film is so well written and acted that my tears flowed even more. Well done BBC and Lucy and everyone who brought this to our viewing. I must say that after watching this I sent a text to each of my three daughters telling them how very proud of them i am and what they have each achieved in life which was not always easy for them either. This Film is a must watch. I know it was only a one off film but if the BBC were to do a series on Molly Dawes i feel it would be compelling viewing.

Molly Dawes lives with her father, mother and multitude of siblings in a working class area of London. She's just turned 18 but instead of a feeling of euphoria all she sees is problems. Her boyfriend is unfaithful, she doesn't like her job and her father is a deadbeat. So she decides to join the Army.

A movie-length first episode of the series, so don't expect any nice neat resolutions or Hollywood endings. It's reasonably good without being great. We see Molly's background, which is a bit of a drag. This part seems quite predictable and seems to just delay the inevitable.

Once she's in the Army the film gets much more interesting as we see her having to make decisions regarding her future and having to adapt to Army life. There's a few overly neat and convenient plot developments but it's pretty good, good enough for me to stick with the series.

I'm a sucker for these films especially if they involve women. One of my favorite of all time if Private Benjamin with Goldie Hawn. Of course there are differences for example she is a wealthy American woman whose husband dies on the first night so the starting point is slightly different from that of a British girl from a London council estate but the story is the same they both are devalued by their families they both are expected to live vacuous life responding to the clichés that surrounds them and they find a purpose in the army. I think the scene I liked most is when she confronts her father outside the pub and the reading of the letter is really poignant. I quite liked also the TV news commentary at the end asking at what cost the war in Afghanistan has been sustained for 11 years, it was a nice touch few people might have noticed.

Our Girl started as a one off film written by Tony Grounds before it was developed by the BBC as a regular television series.

Lacey Turner is Molly Dawes, a teenager in Newham, living in an overcrowded house with her siblings. Mum (Kerry Godliman) is pregnant again, Dad (Sean Gallagher) is a bit of a layabout and an unpleasant racist and sexist of the east end type.

Molly's boyfriend is a young Muslim who also is another worthless individual who easily cheats on her and really does not value her.

So Molly who looks like a bright girl, seems to already have a life which is taking her nowhere with people who are just shiftless. Molly ends up joining the army which gives her life purpose and self esteem.

The problem is her family and boyfriend are left befuddled by her decision.

However basic training allows her to turn her life around and give her life renewed purpose as she makes new friends and finds out that it is better to help out fellow recruits rather than be a put upon babysitter at home.

The series started out with a lot of grittiness of inner London domestic life. Lacey Turner puts in a convincing performance as Molly and it is a refreshing positive portrayal of army life, not sure whether it is very realistic vision of army life and does felt a bit like propaganda as well.

Yet the film was better than the subsequent series in my opinion and at least it offered a positive note that a person can have the courage of their convictions to turn their life around.