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chris_sedergreen
Reviews
Tin Star (2017)
A lousy representation of Canadians, and a poor one of Brits.
I hesitated before deciding to review this British series shot in Alberta, Canada: it's got some qualities that are terribly bad, as well as some that are so good that it deserves recommendation in the end.
The plot is at best meager. A Brit from Liverpool (but with a south London accent!) comes with 'wife' and two kids to be the 'chief' of police in a two bit town in the southern Alberta Rockies, not far from the Montana border. The small town is the site of a new oil refinery, which of course is a source of controversy among the locals. Meanwhile the Brits are harbouring some dark secret about their background in the UK.
Already we're facing the need for some suspension of disbelief. A Brit coming to be a police chief in Alberta? Come on! Flavour the sauce with some conflict with local first nations and it's beginning to look like the Brit version of a spaghetti western! But wait - there's more! This is Canada and so we throw in a colony of religious fundamentalists known as 'Ammonites' (don't ask).
Those of us who've had direct contact with the various fundamentalist religious groups in Canada (Hutterite, Mennonite, Amish &c) or with the indigenous peoples of our country will be appalled at the shallow and profoundly erroneous way in which they are portrayed in the series. These are low quality caricatures of reality. If the Brit producers had any idea how ludicrous these incongruities appear to us, they should be covered with embarrassment
And yet ... there are compelling reasons to continue watching Tin Star. Foremost among them is the stunning scenery of southern Alberta near the Rocky foothills. The series was filmed in and around High River and south as far as Waterton Lakes National Park; and includes scenes within and around the iconic Prince of Wales Hotel. Anyone who has lived in or visited these surroundings must feel nostalgic on seeing them again. Moreover the camera-persons and/or director chose to shoot at angles that create cinematic and photographic works of art.
Although the storey-line and screenplay are often hokey and contrived, there are moments of great acting. Predictably but with good effect the director brings to the screenplay the British dramatic use of pregnant and awkward silences during dialogue, first brought into use in the 1950s by playwright Harold Pinter. Even today they serve as effective tension-builders.
I enjoyed the acting of Irish actress Genvieve O'Reilly, who somehow manages to convince that she both hates and loves her alcoholic husband in equal measures. It's not easy to portray such ambivalence, unless perhaps you've lived it, which partners of alcoholics generally have.
After a slow start young and up-and-coming Scottish actress Abigail Lawrie began to develop some depth, but the writers didn't give her much to work with. Seasoned actor Tim Roth made a stab at playing a burned out alcoholic Brit who makes typical 'immigrant' mistakes in his new homeland. But he simply couldn't help but look out of place,
So, the bottom line: watch it for the beautiful scenery, but not much else.
Finally, if you didn't want to wade through two seasons, IMO the second is better than the first.
Biz Kimden Kaçiyorduk Anne? (2023)
A curious "psychodrame"
I agree with Concordman that the writing leaves a lot to be desired. We're a little further on that when that review was written, and the denouement is taking place. In a way that is a disappointment, since it tries to answer the questions that inevitably the watcher is asking. Why do seemingly 'ordinary' (if wealthy) people commit heinous acts? It's better left unanswered: simply because there is no plausible answer. I also have my doubts about the acting, which seems a little too 'hammy'. And yes, there is a strong sense of the ridiculous in the conduct of various law enforcement agencies; but perhaps that adds to it. It's kinda like the old James Bond movies in that respect (only).
On the whole Melisa Sozen does a convincing job of playing a wacko and murderous mother, with her gaunt, almost cadaverous features. I'm less sure about Eylul Tumbar: as a 23 year old playing a 15 year old character she's not convincing. But it seems that this was her first role, so maybe she's got time to mature.
As with almost all Turkish productions, it's the filming that make this a series worth watching. But if you want a more thoughtful portrayal of psychological disturbance, Ethos is a much better bet.
Khakee: The Bihar Chapter (2022)
Well crafted production
This is a finely crafted production with excellent acting and general production values. It portrays the complexity of life in that beautiful country, where some degree of moral relativism is unavoidable. Like many (most?) parts of the world corruption is endemic at multiple levels, yet there are always individuals who strive to rise above it and show us a better way of being.
The plot is a fairly simple 'police procedural', involving gang exploitation of underprivileged village and small town folk. It amounts to a contest of wills between a high minded young Indian Police Service officer and a ruthless gang leader in the eastern Indian province of Bihar. The screenplay is tightly written and makes for compulsive viewing.
For those who would like to travel through India but cannot manage to do so, this is a wonderful way to see both rural and suburban life in one of the most populous countries in the world. At the same time it provides a small but valuable window into Indian culture and society.
The End of the F***ing World (2017)
Don't be fooled by the title
This series shows that the spirit of playright, Harold Pinter (uncomfortable silences between voices, increasing the sense of tension) still pervades stage and screen writing. The screenplay is brilliant, while the delivery of the two main characters is beyond reproach. These two young actors will occupy centre stage for many years to come.
The storyline is quirky yet coherent, while remaining unpredictable. In the peneultimate episode I was wondering how on earth the writers could bring about a dénouement in the final episode that would be satisfying without becoming facile. They pulled it off, leaving room for a possible second season. Well done!
Strangers (2018)
Poor from beginning to end
The premise of the story strains credulity, but we'll let that pass. The screenplay is a disaster: every cliche ever written is employed. I found myself predicting the lines of every scene before they were spoken. The acting is generally mediocre; a shame since there are some big names. Perhaps the Hong Kong heat and humidity drained their thespian energies. The camera work was equally mediocre, again a pity since Hong Kong offers some real possibilities for creative and artistic screen shots.
The Chinese charatcers were comic book caractures and quite unconvincing.
I was looking forward to this at the outset, but was sadly disappointed. Don't waste your time with this one. It doesn't get better.
Iatros.