wendykv99 Reviews

Marcella (2016–2021)

Series spoiled by plot flaws

[4/10 · 20 January 2021]

I've watched only series 1 so far but am becoming irritated by the unlikely scenario of Marcella repeatedly wigging out and not knowing whether she committed crimes during her fugue. To me this is a cheap trick to ramp up tension and set the series apart but people generally experience this state only once and never do anything out of character while it lasts. If she really has a very rare dissociative identity disorder it would be unthinkable for her to work as a murder detective. The series could be excellent, with a great cast and fantastic London cityscapes and interiors, but it is badly marred by poor plot decisions. Time and again something inexplicable occurs, such as Laura failing to inform Rav, Marcella's immediate senior, of personal issues which might affect her performance, or Maddy, a mental health doctoral student, meeting with Peter Cullen, a dangerous criminal, in an informal, public setting and ignoring signs of his growing obsession with her, or Marcella, seeing Jason with a stab wound inside the house of a suspected killer, breaking in without calling for an ambulance or backup. There is plenty of tension and excitement in an otherwise enjoyable series without carrying it to ridiculous extremes and, much as I enjoy Anna Friel as an actress, I'm getting bored with seeing her with the same anguished, worried expression all the time. Yes, it shows off her great bone structure and lovely green eyes but it would be nice to have an occasional change of pace and glimpse other aspects of her personality. Jason is also very two-dimensional and we don't get much insight into what character flaws make a clever lawyer behave so recklessly. I've really enjoyed other British crime series such as Broadchurch, Collateral and Hinterland but am rapidly losing interest in this one.

Hinterland (2013–2016)

Incredible locations and cinematography

[10/10 · 3 January 2021]

It is enjoyable as a crime series but what really blew me away was the bleak beauty of the landscape and the way it was lovingly revealed by the camera. From the massive storm driven waves battering the town sea front to the precipitous ravine under Devil's Bridge, to empty valleys and rugged hills with leafless trees and stone buildings silhouetted against cloudy skies at dawn or dusk, I could happily watch with the sound off just to enjoy this wild, magical countryside.

The Lovely Bones (2009)

Incoherent and boring

[6 December 2020]

I'm not sure what Peter Jackson was smoking when he made this meandering disaster but the painfully drawn-out CGI with its mood of dreamy detachment did not represent the sensations of a murdered teenager in limbo but rather a complete loss of focus and involvement in the fate of both the living and the dead. Had the running time been halved and something approaching relatable behaviour been scripted for the principals, it might have held this viewer's attention but in its present incarnation it is incomprehensible and painfully dull.

The Lady in the Van (2015)

Exquisite authenticity

[10/10 · 22 December 2015]

The most notable features of Alan Bennett's writing are his honesty and wry, gentle humour. Despite some plot embellishments the authenticity of his ambivalence towards his mother and Miss Shepherd and the mixture of guilt, exasperation and pity which governed his relationships with these very different women, is beautifully conveyed. Maggie Smith's brilliance lies in her ability to suggest the mental illness which destroyed Margaret/Mary's life and still clouds her mind combined with her shrewd determination to survive while retaining some shreds of dignity and independence. She senses Alan's inability to turn her away and he, in turn, seems to recognise a sensitive, traumatised soul in the stinking, obstinate vagrant. Alex Jennings captures the essence of Alan Bennett, his fastidiousness, his high moral standards and his relentless pursuit of truth in his writing. The superb script and talented cast give a vivid portrayal of this period of the writer's life and the charm of his Camden neighborhood.