Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This is a good deal grittier than the kind of British murder mystery that generally shows up on American public television. The author, Peter Moffat, a former barrister, wanted to give viewers a comprehensive look at the British criminal justice system and so covers police investigation, jail, magistrates court, prison, trial and the aftermath.
The writing is generally good, although there are some plausibility issues at times. A young man is accused of murdering a young woman he meets by chance, which he denies, with all of the evidence pointing to his guilt. The story of his arrest, remand in prison and trial are well done. The Bar Council in England was harshly critical of the portrayal of the legal profession and I would tend to agree with them. It's hard to believe that lawyers typically advise their clients to invent stuff to suit the defense that the lawyer wants to put on.
The story can be tough viewing at times. At various points, you wonder just how much physical and psychological trauma the scrawny 21 year old asthmatic protagonist can take. And the ending seemed a little rushed.
The acting is what makes this series really worth it. Pete Postelthwaite, Bill Paterson, Lindsay Duncan, and Nicholas Farrell are especially good. But Ben Whishaw, who plays Ben Coulter, the accused, is superlative. He won an international Emmy for this performance and recently made an acclaimed American Stage debut in the Off-Broadway production of "The Pride." His ability to show all of the strong and conflicting emotions his character has to deal with is effortless.
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WINNER / Best Actor Ben Whishaw / Royal Television Society AwardsWINNER / Best Drama Serial / BAFTA TV Awards
Is his life in the hands of justice... or criminals?
After a one-night stand with a beautiful young woman, Ben Coulter (Ben Whishaw The International, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer) wakes up with a hangover... and blood on his hands. Lying beside him, fatally stabbed, is the naked body of the woman. So begins a nightmare that will change Ben's life forever, as damning evidence emerges to incriminate him in a murder that he has no recollection of committing.
Once in prison, awaiting the trial that will decide his fate, Ben must endure terrifying forms of justice from hardcore inmates and the question is: Can Ben survive life in jail long enough to last through a trial he has little hope of winning?
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