Page Eight

David Hare both wrote and directed this stylish, intensely intelligent suspense film (his other films include work on The Hours, The Reader, Damage, Plenty, etc). Few films have been made that depend on smart dialogue and intense acting instead of explosions, car chases, and other improbable acts of danger to make their point. Aided by a top-notch British cast, Hare has created a thinking person's drama and it is refreshingly poignant.

A contemporary spy film created for BBC, the action is set in both London and Cambridge. Johnny Worricker (Bill Nighy in one of his best roles to date) is an experienced MI5 officer whose boss and best friend Benedict Baron (Michael Gambon) dies of a myocardial infarction: he leaves a secret file for his friend. Both men have been married to the same woman (Alice Krige) and Worricker has a grown child from his marriage, an artist Julianne Felicity Jones) who has never quite forgiven her father for leaving her mother for another woman. The file is so important that it is under surveillance by the British Intelligence (Judy Davis et al) and the Prime Minister's office (Ralph Fiennes). Worricker lives in a flat opposite a beautiful but aloof girl Nancy Pierpan (Rachel Weisz) whose brother has been murdered in the Middle East. It is the silence about Nancy's brother's death that is at the core of the file Worricker holds and with some help from Nancy he traces the truth to the point of being threatened by MI5 to be fired. The film addresses contemporary intelligence issues and techniques and the associated moral dilemmas we face today. To reveal more would be to rob the viewer of the complexity of the story.

The strong supporting cast includes Marthe Kellar in a small but pivotal role, along with Tom Hughes, Kate Burdette, Ewen Bremmer and others. This is a tense drama, exceptionally well written and acted and a welcome change from the current barrage of action flicks.

Grady Harp

Atmospheric, intelligent, thrilling and without violence, this film shines as an example of exceedingly skillful work. There are some scenes of doubtful authenticity but those are still believable and in any case the quality of acting glosses over them. It is delightful when great actors have material and settings that allow them to give their subtle best. Even incidental parts are played convincingly by all and the barely plausible delivery by the Home Secretary only serves to keep things at a human level.

I hope and feel that we shall see more programmes of a similar standard from such a distinguished cast and clever crew. Simply superb from start to finish. (Viewed on iPlayer)

Slow paced yet clever enough to keep your interest - no need for shoot outs, car chases or fireball explosions because some 'producer' claims "It's what an audience wants!" ( I, for one, don't, unless it's a blood and gore war film). Touches of Le Carre without the seedy Lambeth safe house that seem to pop up in his novels. This is stylish and clever with excellent dialogue, therefore excellent performances from all of the major players. They believe in their characters and it shows,(apart from one 'minor player' that left me a bit annoyed at his wooden delivery - should have been easy to have re-shot that bit with another 'bit part actor'as it was only a short scene on the stairs, you'll spot the bit I mean). All in all, subtly understated, so more believable, and most importantly, a story with a grain of truth running through it that we will all identify with; unless you've lived on the moon for the past 15 years. Bravo, give us more of the same.

MI5 Agent Johnny Worricker is approached by his neighbour to look into the death of a family member, he also uncovers a cover up at the very top of British Politics.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, it's a pretty dry, very British thriller, but it's not without its excitement or depth. It's quite high brow, it's a show my parents would call heavy, but I loved the intrigue and mystery. It kept me entertained from start to finish.

Transmitted over a decade a go, can't believe I've waited until now to watch it, fortunately there are a few more to watch.

The acting is the key element, Bill Nighy truly is at his very best, and he's perfect in the role, this boasts a wonderful supporting cast, and a wonderful performance in particular from Michael Gambon. Rachel Weisz adds start quality, as does Alice Krige.

Very enjoyable, 8/10.

Bill Nighy, Rachel Weisz, and Michael Gambon in very good form, playing charmingly audacious characters. The Security Service, and the sense of 'England' that is built around it, are both portrayed in an amusingly artsy, lighting-a-cigarette-under-a-lamppost-to-the-tune-of-modern-jazz manner that some might might find annoying - but which I felt more to be endearing. And a refreshing contrast to the bleak picture of the world and it's intelligence services painted in other modern spy shows, 'Spooks' being the prime example.

The story seems to ramble a little, at first, and is not as tight or conventionally depicted as audiences might be used to, but it soon picks up - leading to a 'Johnny on the run' sequence that is as good as any other staple 'spy in hiding' romp in any TV espionage thriller of recent years, but one which is much more believable and down-to-earth. An unexpected conclusion left me praising Nighy's character for doing the right thing, in normal person terms, rather than 'the right thing' in the usual On Her Majesty's Secret Service terms that we're usually force-fed by spy drama - one of the many things that made the character and those around him seem less like a phantom, emotionless government spook, and more like a human being.

Well worth watching.