Mo

Julie Walters is magnificent in the role of a politician who was adored by the public (a very rare quality), but also an icebreaker in the Northern Ireland Peace Process. In inhabiting the role, Julie Walters displays scatological behaviour, and utters language that would embarrass a docker! However, there is also a very strong support cast. Toby Jones as the doctor, David Haig as Mo Mowlam's misguided husband, and mostly the marvellous Steven Macintosh playing a beautifully slimy Peter Mandelson.

This is however, a BAFTA worthy performance from Julie Walters. My congratulations to everyone behind this Channel Four production.

Mo Mowlam was a truly amazing and inspirational woman, even during her illness she managed to be her funny, quick-witted and inspiring self. This biographical drama from start to finish was sublime, entertaining in some spots but incredibly poignant mostly. The camera work is stunning, the direction from Phillip Martin is excellent and the scripting is honest and packs a real emotional punch. But I thought it was the acting that really drove this drama. While Gary Lewis, Steven MacKintosh, Emma Cambridge and Adrian Dunbar all turn in great work, the acting honours without a doubt come from Julie Walters as Mo. I love Walters, I have always considered her an amazing actress, and she was above mesmerising here, a truly moving and insightful performance. Also the ending had me in tears, I have rarely been emotionally wrecked by a drama on television. Overall, this was wonderful, if you haven't seen it already have a box of tissues at the ready. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Great T.V. As the other reviewers have noted I totally agree in all accounts. Completely moving. If this doesn't win a BAFTA ill eat my words! Julie Waters put on an excellent performance for what i can say 'An angel of modern politics.' Mo Mowlems put everything in to her political life as did Julie Walters in this drama. Guaranteed to make you laugh, cry and angry how she was treated by the male chauvinism of Blair and Mandleson. Julie had Mo to a tea with the work she did for the people of Northen Ireland. It was painful to watch her decline on screen as it was in real life. Adam Ingram her aide for the secretary for state was in tears as he had to relive the last days. All credit to the other actors and writers of this drama. And I'm sure there will have to be a statue of her honour in Northen Ireland and Westminster too. A true modern stateswoman.

Is there nothing Julie Walters cannot do? Everything she does is wonderful (with one exception-Mamma Mia-I do not know what she was like in that- I could not bear to watch enough to see her performance!) But in "Mo" she turns in a career-defining turn. Mo Mowlam herself would probably have loved to see what she did with it. Heartbreakingly sad, funny and profane all at once she carries the whole thing with aplomb. Surrounded by great support and a good screenplay, Julie holds the audience in thrall with her acting chops. I would love to think Mo Mowlam really was like this and she spoke as plainly to the Sinn Fein element and the Unionists. It certainly made for entertaining television drama. An incredible production with an incredible actress at it's centre, Mo is entertaining, educational and life-affirming, in spite of the inevitable end.

Julie Walters excels as Secretary for Northern Ireland Mo Mowlam, and she should have won a Golden Globe or something like that for her incredible performance. This is more about the usual mimicry in biopics. Julie Walters maintained her acting persona but still managed to portray Mo warts and all.