thomas4cinema

Plot as in the tv show of the same name. Relocating the action to the US requires some adjustments for plot, in particular the background of the House representative as a defense expert battling against the private contractors, while the original featured, if I remember correctly, the Health lobby. Similarly ruthless, no doubt, but I feel a bit tired of the Blackwater bashing, maybe it is more interesting to use the not so obvious industry, as the BBC show did.

Ben Affleck as Stephen Collins has not a lot to do (and since my recent Kevin Smith marathon, that is all the better, because I will never be able to grant him a serious expression again – or an adult character, for that matter), his wife nothing at all – to the point that when she is involved in the final “confession scene” in the news room, it is completely unclear why she needs to be there and why everybody is staring at her as if she was important in this. Chubby Gladiator is fine for the role, in principle, only that John Simms is so much better, more serious and energetic and real and desperate. It is not just out of principle, but out of failure of very specific characterisations and plot elements, that I stand by my opinion that this story should not have been condensed into a movie. The original short series was just perfect to show the evolution of the characters, and in Hollywood’s executive summary version, the key plot twists towards the end just fall flat on their face (plus they leave you wonder how often per night you can postpone a final editorial deadline for a national newspaper).