Majorthebys Charming and brutal

Taraparain Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Humbersi The first must-see film of the year.

Payno I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

holywd-34463 Cannot believe anyone gave this less than 9/10! The suspense, mood, performances are the best thing I've seen for a very long time- including cinema, TV, or DVD. Samantha Morton & Tim Roth, whom I've long admired, are nothing short of superb in their understanding of the characters, their tenuous daily existence, the era in which they lived and their relationship. Samantha Morton's portrayal also speaks volumes about a 'woman's place' in society & in a marriage in those times. Tim Roth had me recognising the complete lack of emotion that Christie masked, READILY, with appropriate & socially accepted comments and lies; and the ability to portray himself as the victim, as employed by true psychopaths. This is deep and unnerving if you really think about it. Who lives next door to YOU?

Paul Evans I have wondered for many years why there had been no attempt to retell the grizzly story of the goings on at number 10 Rillington Place. The fabulous 1971 version featuring the marvellous Richard Attenborough will live on as a classic forever. So once again, well done BBC for retelling a story in such a thorough and compelling way.The three hour format worked well, it allowed the story to develop naturally, at no point did it feel rushed, each character was given time to deliver.Tim Roth was sensational in the role of Christie, softly spoken, calm, yet monstrous and conniving, I believed utterly in the character he portrayed. He certainly looked the part also. It feels unkind to say that Samantha Morton is a safe pair of hands, but that she is, an actress of immense talent, who always seems to deliver the goods, a super performance as Mrs Christie.This drama made me curious about the case, and I've picked up a book for some further reading.If I was brutally honest, I'd say Part 1 was a little too slow, and felt like it had been padded out, twenty minutes into the second part though it takes a very sinister turn, and transforms into something nasty, but enthralling.Harsh, unnerving, but very impressive. 9/10

keith-618 Another look at the Christie serial killer saga starring Tim Roth and Samantha Morton - what could possibly go wrong? Quite a lot as it turns out mostly connected to the name of Craig Viveiros the director. The acting throughout was fine but the director decided to make the whole enterprise in the mode of a horror movie complete with dark lighting, dark sinister music and slo-mo sequences with yet more dark sinister soundscapes. The scenes that worked best had no music at all and were quite sinister enough because of the work and effort the actors had invested in them. Why Mr Viveiros decided that the audience would find it necessary to add a music track and film techniques to tell us what to think is beyond me? I addition to these shortcomings of the director. I must also add that there's almost no detail about the murders - no modus operandi - in fact, no fact! After the second episode I was compelled to look up Wikipedia and learned more in five minutes than I had in two hours. I persevered with the third episode partly so as not to waste the previous two hours but also because I was enticed by Tim Roth and Samantha Morton's performances. But in spite of them the whole experience still left me wishing I'd watched the movie with Richard Attenborough instead. Maybe I will do that anyway.

whatithinkis The slow pace of this is like that of a snail leaving a trail of slime.The lighting is dark. The setting dim and dirty. Squalid but normal given the time and place.Tim Roth is so convincingly creepy and his speech, whispery and spare, so steeped in threat, it's a task just to undertake to watch each next horrible installment. Horrible as in effective.There is no actual violence and yet it is as if every single second of the entire production is violent.I'd give it a higher rating, in that I think it is so evocative, but the subject matter is too dark and I prefer to save high marks for work that stimulates us to loftier places.Still, simply as art, all the skills are wonderful. The actors excellent. The writing terrifying.I wouldn't have undertaken to write a review at all, but at this juncture there are only two other reviews, neither of which seem, to me, to 'get it.' So here is another view.