Ian McShane stars as Peter Curtis, who has just been released from prison after serving four years for manslaughter. His victim's mysterious last words lead him on a frantic quest for answers in the tidal estuaries of the West of England, where he finds himself on a collision course with other parties who are as eager to solve the mystery as he is, and are seemingly even prepared to kill to find the answer.
UK
USA
UK
UK
USA
Watched as a 4-parter from the TV series "Armchair Thriller".
Last time I saw this, it was presented as a film on the Talking Pictures TV channel. Thought it seemed like a TV movie at the time.
Knocking it up a star - it's crap, but it's the kind of crap I like. British coastline location, 70s pubs, a bit of a mystery. Albeit with a slow and slightly disappointing plot...
Slight, but enjoyable, thriller that is desperate to evoke Hitchcock but instead just reveals what it really is at every turn: a plodding adaptation for itv of a potboiler which hampers any thrills by having McShane do almost continuous narration- it ends up feeling as if this is why the episodes are so lethargic: if the narrator can tell you everything that’s happening then the director can basically absolve himself from the responsibility
Dull, ridiculous and confusing (I missed the first ten minutes, but I doubt that mattered) but, weirdly, I kind of liked it. I think it was the location and that slow 70s/80s British TV mystery vibe. Like 'Hammer House of Horror' but far less exciting.
Low budget and some amateurish touches to the direction but a fairly gripping central role from McShane, including monologue/vouce-over/breaking 4th wall asides which suit him & the character very well.
Would have guessed long and hard before suggesting John Bird (from Bremner, Bird & Fortune) as likely to be cast in a straight role as the ornithologist cuckholded by McShane, but y'know what, it worked.
3rd recent film I've seen where a dog dying is significant motor for the main character's motivation and action. If absolutely pushed could I say this is the British made-for-TV, washed-out colours, plodding archair thriller equivalent of John Wick?
I could have a stab.
MAKE THE NARRATION STOP! MAKE. IT. STOPPP 😭
For a film with a very similar score to ‘Psycho’ (Hitchcock, 1960), it doesn’t share Hitchcock’s love for pure cinema at all.
