London SPY is an exceptionally well-filmed thriller centering on the protagonist Danny Holt (Ben Whishaw) and his quest to find out precisely who his lover Alex/ Alistair (Edward Holcroft) actually is, and whether Alex has actually been murdered or not.
That quest takes Danny into a dark and frequently confusing netherworld in which nothing is quite as it seems and truth is indistinguishable from falsehood. Although clearly an innocent party, Danny's ignorance of Alex/ Alistair's past lands him in trouble; he is suspected of having committed murder, even though we are well aware that he is an innocent party - a young, rootless man searching for stability in an often hostile world.
Jakob Verbruggen's six-part thriller unfolds slowly, with the camera focused tightly on the protagonists' facial expressions as they act and react to a variety of different situations. This makes for a claustrophobic atmosphere; we feel as imprisoned as the characters within webs of deceit that are rendered even more confusing by a willful dedication towards perpetuating falsehoods. When Danny visits Alistair/ Alex's parents (Charlotte Rampling, Nicholas Chagrin), he is told a tissue of lies; and subsequently warned off further inquiries by a professional hitperson (Clarke Peters). Needless to say Danny continues his quest for the truth, but ends up becoming more deeply enmeshed within the webs.
Laurie Rose's cinematography is especially effective; his camera swirls around the characters, emphasizing their lack of certainty; and frequently indulges in long tracking shots as the characters move down long corridors or through gardens. This stylistic device is ironic; a tracking shot implies forward movement, almost as if a plot-complication might be resolved in the process. In London SPY, however, the tracking shots lead to nothing, and thereby emphasizing the absence of truth that dominates the plot.
This series might be described as moody, almost reflective in tone, concentrating as much on the characters' emotions as the plot. We share with Danny a desire to unravel the plot, but at the same time realize how easy it is to be bamboozled, especially when there are so many people wanting to create smokescreens, whether verbal or physical. The center of London has seldom seemed so sinister, with the Thameside lights in the background contrasting with the nighttime shadows in which Danny spends much of his time.
London SPY requires our attention, but rewards us for our efforts. Definitely worth staying with.
