Heart-rippingly powerful drama that had me bawling my eyes out at the intense pain of the situation created by genius writer Jimmy McGovern and co-writer Carol Cullington about two mothers, played by Anne-Marie Duff (Mo) and Olivia Colman (Sue)... and their sons, living in the now depressingly common world of gangs and gun crime.
I foolishly gave last week's episode 5/5, giving myself no room for an improved score... on that basis this should be 7/5... Last week Sean Bean's performance really impressed, and the rest of the drama was good but not great... This week's performances were outstandingly and poignantly emotion-stirring and the twists and turns of the plot superb too. What is so shocking is this is real! This is happening in places around our whole country.
Such tight and well-constructed drama and several surprises, so it is hard and maybe a shame to say much about it. Anne-Marie Duff's and Olivia Colman's characters are very close friends, who work together in a hairdresser's and take a stand against bullying youths, who have dictated that shops be closed... and so the consequences...
Anne-Marie Duff is supremely sensitive in her acting. This small actor has an almost incongruently huge strength of expression and humanity. Olivia Colman, Ruth Sheen (Mo's mother) and Thomas Brodie Sangster are totally believable also - we feel their pain. And this is pain in abundance, but even within that there are some good laughs.
Outstanding to develop such compelling characters in just an hour such that we truly know and feel them. And a cleverly enmeshed plot to put them in the worst plight possible!
Accused: Mo's Story – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2012
Twitter: @RestrictReview
For my money, Anne Marie Duff is Britain's finest actress at the moment
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment, Barry. I agree she is right up there as one of our finest.
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