This is going to be the first of a long line of films based on Agatha Christies works; they are a pretty great series of movies that need to be talked about. Deserve to be talked about. So here are my thoughts on Five Little Pigs.
When Hercule Poirot(David Suchet) is called on by Lucy Crale(Aimee Mullins) to prove that her mother Caroline Crale(Rachael Stirling) innocent for killing her husband Amyas Crale (Aidan Gillen) due to having an affair with another woman.
The murder happened 14 years ago which Caroline hanged for the killing. Over the course of the film, with no access to the crime scene or police files he pieces together a picture of events just from the five people present to the days leading up to the murder.
Elsa Greer(Julie Cox) the woman Amyas Clare was painting and having an affair with.
Phillip Blake(Toby Stephens) Amyas's best friend who hated Elsa for the affair.
Meredith Blake(Marc Warren) Bother to Phillip Blake who harboured feelings for Caroline as well hating Elsa for tearing the family apart.
Miss Williams(Gemma Jones) The family governess devoted to Charoline and hated Amyas.
Angela Warren(Sophie Winkleman/ Talulah Riley) An disfigured archaeologist.
All five have their own version of events, all the same yet slightly different. Only armed with his intelligence and reason Hercule Poirot tries to make sense to see what really happened.
The acting as per usual is extremely good, everyone has a number of skeletons in their closets and they all have heavy emotional burdens on them thanks to the murder. Toby Shephens in particular plays his part really well; you can feel the trauma and bitterness for losing his friend every time he is on screen. He should be applauded. The performances really add to the overall sorrowful atmosphere the film has.
I really love to the idea of five possible unreliable narrators telling similar yet slightly different version of events, it keeps the audience guessing as to whom the killer is or if there is one at all. I really enjoy that the film actually uses the point of view shots and makes sure that the character telling their side of the story will only show them events that they were able to see or be present to. I have seen a lot of films where the movie shows the audience something that the character e telling it was not present despite the film asking us to believe the character was there. Five little pigs stand out and is better as a result because of this little aspect.
Unlike most Agatha Christie adaptation there is a very sorrowful atmosphere to the whole thing, themes like loss of childhood innocence lost and betrayal run deep in the narrative, the air of nostalgia for a simple time further add to mournful tone of the film. I like this because it differences itself from the tamer and fluffy adaptations. It feels more grounded in reality as well as having a compelling edge to it.
However it sadly does fall into melodrama towards the end and does get a little silly, it kind of spoils the film's serious tone but it is not a deal breaker per say, just something that prevents the film from really becoming something special.
I would say that Five Little Pigs is well worth the watch.
The murder happened 14 years ago which Caroline hanged for the killing. Over the course of the film, with no access to the crime scene or police files he pieces together a picture of events just from the five people present to the days leading up to the murder.
Elsa Greer(Julie Cox) the woman Amyas Clare was painting and having an affair with.
Phillip Blake(Toby Stephens) Amyas's best friend who hated Elsa for the affair.
Meredith Blake(Marc Warren) Bother to Phillip Blake who harboured feelings for Caroline as well hating Elsa for tearing the family apart.
Miss Williams(Gemma Jones) The family governess devoted to Charoline and hated Amyas.
Angela Warren(Sophie Winkleman/ Talulah Riley) An disfigured archaeologist.
All five have their own version of events, all the same yet slightly different. Only armed with his intelligence and reason Hercule Poirot tries to make sense to see what really happened.
The acting as per usual is extremely good, everyone has a number of skeletons in their closets and they all have heavy emotional burdens on them thanks to the murder. Toby Shephens in particular plays his part really well; you can feel the trauma and bitterness for losing his friend every time he is on screen. He should be applauded. The performances really add to the overall sorrowful atmosphere the film has.
I really love to the idea of five possible unreliable narrators telling similar yet slightly different version of events, it keeps the audience guessing as to whom the killer is or if there is one at all. I really enjoy that the film actually uses the point of view shots and makes sure that the character telling their side of the story will only show them events that they were able to see or be present to. I have seen a lot of films where the movie shows the audience something that the character e telling it was not present despite the film asking us to believe the character was there. Five little pigs stand out and is better as a result because of this little aspect.
Unlike most Agatha Christie adaptation there is a very sorrowful atmosphere to the whole thing, themes like loss of childhood innocence lost and betrayal run deep in the narrative, the air of nostalgia for a simple time further add to mournful tone of the film. I like this because it differences itself from the tamer and fluffy adaptations. It feels more grounded in reality as well as having a compelling edge to it.
However it sadly does fall into melodrama towards the end and does get a little silly, it kind of spoils the film's serious tone but it is not a deal breaker per say, just something that prevents the film from really becoming something special.
I would say that Five Little Pigs is well worth the watch.