This is a surprisingly good adaptation of Ruth Rendell's 1990 novel, "Going Wrong." Many of the shows in the "Ruth Rendell Mysteries" series are mediocre and make several unnecessary changes to the story, but this film puts the story on screen. There are a few details that are compressed, but nothing significant. In fact, there's one detail at the end that actually makes a bit more sense than the book.
Not really a mystery, "Going Wrong" is a study of obsessive love, a theme that is familiar territory to Ruth Rendell. Guy Curran is a street kid who got rich dealing drugs and is now a legitimate, wealthy businessmen. He still carries a torch for his teenage sweetheart Leonora, a middle-class girl who played at being a street kid but now has grown up and has broken if off with Guy.
But she still agrees to have lunch with him every Saturday, and allows him to call her every day. Guy believes that she still loves him and will take him back ... then he sees her in the company of a gentleman friend.
With echoes of "The Great Gatsby", this is classic Rendell, and the film features excellent performances by the entire cast.
Unfortunately this is not available on Region 1 DVD. Currently it's sold in Region 2 as part of a boxed set, "The Best of the Ruth Rendell Mysteries", which includes several other installments in the series.
If you have a Region 2 player and are a Ruth Rendell fan, I highly recommend this.
Not really a mystery, "Going Wrong" is a study of obsessive love, a theme that is familiar territory to Ruth Rendell. Guy Curran is a street kid who got rich dealing drugs and is now a legitimate, wealthy businessmen. He still carries a torch for his teenage sweetheart Leonora, a middle-class girl who played at being a street kid but now has grown up and has broken if off with Guy.
But she still agrees to have lunch with him every Saturday, and allows him to call her every day. Guy believes that she still loves him and will take him back ... then he sees her in the company of a gentleman friend.
With echoes of "The Great Gatsby", this is classic Rendell, and the film features excellent performances by the entire cast.
Unfortunately this is not available on Region 1 DVD. Currently it's sold in Region 2 as part of a boxed set, "The Best of the Ruth Rendell Mysteries", which includes several other installments in the series.
If you have a Region 2 player and are a Ruth Rendell fan, I highly recommend this.