Fingersmith

According to imdb, when this originally aired in the UK it was shown as 3 hour long episodes. On Sundance Now in the US it is shown as 2 hour and a half episodes. For the first hour and a half, I honestly found it a struggle. The acting was great, but the plot looked it rehashed territory that's been covered before. I didn't expect any surprises. I was wrong. The plot twist at the end of the 1st hour and a half Sundance episode was a corker. I was riveted to the screen for the 2nd hour and a half which kept unloading surprises. Maybe a little too many because at times it felt like there were almost as many unlikely coincidences as in a novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It all came together in the end, though. I think I enjoyed it more the way Sundance showed it than if I'd seen it as 3 hour long episodes. The twist would have come in the middle of the 2nd episode, whereas Sundance had a clear "before twist" and "after twist" with its 2 episodes. Who knows? This is the way I saw it and I'm glad I stuck with it because ultimately I enjoyed it. Would have been 9* but for the fact that the first half dragged.

I never dreamed when I started watching this DVD that I would be totally mesmerized by it within minutes. The story was completely absorbing and entertaining. The acting was superb. The biggest surprise of all was how I would be so completely enchanted by the love these two young women radiated across the screen. Their initial physical encounter for me was by far the most tender, romantic, delightful, vicariously enthralling love scenes I have ever witnessed on film. I literally stopped breathing. I could not believe the chemistry between the two actresses. With no nudity or graphic sex, they conveyed more passion and titillation than any American production could ever hope to evince. Bravo to the author, the screenwriter, the director and the cast.

Skill fully evocative of Dickens, Collins and Conan Doyle this is top draw story telling. All the performers rise to the occasion and what a great twist at the end of an already serpentine plot.

This movie was incredible!!!! I did not know the back story on it so I needed to let it unfold before me on DVD. It had many twists and turns but still kept the story fresh and exciting. The acting by Elaine Cassidy was in a word Brilliant as well as Sally Hawkins. The storyline is rich with plausible occurrences as well as fresh ideas from the present.

There is truly something about Ms. Cassidy's eyes that leaves "a mark." This movie is a refreshing look on the way in which we look at the 'victorian times' and how we view that society. A very worthwhile watch.

Having read the book prior to watching this adaptation you would think that it would have lost some of its thrill. However, the story is so clever I could never tire of it.

Sally and Elaine really put their hearts into their roles and brought out so much of the characters. I fell in love with the story and the women all over again.

Beautiful to watch thanks to direction, settings and costumery. Despite the plot speed of television, I don't feel that anything important was lost in transit. It had me on the edge of my seat throughout with lots of wonderful stomach-trembling moments. Enjoyed it thoroughly. This is the kind of television I have been waiting for.