I read the Denise Mina source novel a couple of years ago and was pleased that this adaptation seemed to stay true to its good source. As a Glaswegian, myself, I always get a kick out of spotting known locations, especially as I'm an Eastender where much of the location work was done.
The story here of course recalls the awful Jamie Bulger case, although being set in the early 80's it actually predates that horrific crime, the association can't help but provoke a certain amount of discomfort (almost certainly evincing the prominent "Any similarity..." legend over the end titles) but there is a good deal more to the narrative than this, with a related almost identical murder some 10 years previously and a good twist at the end as the true murderer is revealed.
The back stories centre on young, ambitious Catholic copy-girl Paddy Meehan trying to get on in the male-dominated newspaper world and her relationship to her strictly R.C. family, rightly dispensing with the original book's insertion of the dichotomy between this Paddy Meehan and the famous miscarriage of justice victim of the same name from years ago (although the original Paddy Meehan was a male). That said, viewers unfamiliar with the real-life Paddy Meehan story might scratch their heads over these references at all and to be truthful adds nothing to this dramatisation. I also wasn't taken with the mother-daughter relationship conveyed between Paddy and her strictly Irish mother, even as I appreciate it too was in the original writing.
The acting was mostly good, Jayd Johnson making a good central character, although she could have done, I think with being fatter and less attractive as befits her description in the book, the better support acting coming from those south of the border (David Morrissey & an almost unrecognisable Jonas "Robin Hood" Armstrong). It was however strange and off-putting for me at any case to see well known Scottish comedy actors from the likes of "Still Game" in prominent roles which lessened realism for me, Ford Kiernan in particular seeming both miscast and out of his depth. Outshining them all though was Peter Capaldi as the newspaper's doomed, veteran reporter, Dr Pete, declaiming Dylan Thomas' and dying where many a Glaswegian would like to, in a pub, with whom Meehan strikes up a mutual respect and the paternal relationship lacking in her own life.
The depiction of Thatcher-era Glasgow was well done, from fashion to language with a decent post punk soundtrack (Gang of Four, Elvis Costello etc) to boot. There are one or two scenes of extreme violence, although thankfully none involving minors. More of Mina's mordant humour could perhaps have been employed but on the whole this was an above-average production which will hopefully beget more adaptations of this writer's work.
