User Reviews

"Appropriate Adult" from 2011 is based on the Fred and Rosemary West murder case.

A social worker in training, Janet Leach (Emily Watson) is brought in by Gloucester police as the "appropriate adult" at the interrogation of Fred West (Dominic West), thought to be a little on the simple side. He and his wife Rosemary (Monica Dolan) have been accused of killing their daughter and burying the body in their garden.

Fred says right up front that he wants to set the record straight. He tells a story of his daughter wanting to leave home, that she said something nasty to him, and he grabbed her by the throat. Suddenly she turned blue. He tried mouth to mouth but she seemed to get worse. Well, what to do. So he got an ice breaker to cut off her legs so he could stuff her somewhere and then Rosemary wouldn't see her.

When asked why he didn't tell the police this before, Fred says, "Well, I wasn't ready." Anyway he claims Rosemary knew nothing about it. He is so casual and matter-of-fact, listening to him is shocking.

Fred seems to take to Janet, so he confides in her, again, casually, that there are more bodies, around nine. Since anything he tells her is confidential, she can't repeat what he said. Later he talks about the love of his life, Anna, and Janet discovers that she bears a resemblance to her. He seems to be very dependent on her.

Janet has her own problems - children and a bipolar partner who has gone off his meds.

Once his interrogation is over, Fred begs her to visit him in prison. Thinking he might give her more info and implicate Rosemary, she visits him several times.

This is a terrific psychological drama. It kind of reminded me of what actually happened to Capote in the Cutter case, where Perry Smith bonded with him, or so Capote believed. I think he tried all along to manipulate him, as I think Fred here played Janet. Janet is not fooled by him, but there is something about him claiming that he needed her that keeps her coming back and makes her feel important out of the chaos of her home.

Emily Watson is fantastic - quiet, unassuming, very committed, and by the book, who becomes more involved than she planned, and who can't forget the horrors that Fred tells her. And Dominic West is simply astonishing - no emotion as he talks about the killings, talks about Anna being the love of his life, and how Rosemary, who is in prison under suspicion, must get out of prison to keep the family together. As if there is a family and Rosemary is not a prostitute.

Monica Dolan as Rosemary is mean as dirt. It's a great performance - she's hateful.

Highly recommended. A very unsettling story of a normal woman who comes face to face with the unimaginable.

I first heard bits and pieces about the vicious and unbelievable murders of serial killers Fred and Rose West from jokes made on Mock the Week, so naturally I was curious to see one of the first dramatisations of the story. Basically, set in 1994, Gloucestershire, Janet Leach (BAFTA winning, and Golden Globe nominated Emily Watson) is the voluntary worker and social worker brought in to sit in the interviews to help with the investigation into a series of murders. The man in question requiring her presence is Frederick Walter Stephen West (300's BAFTA winning Dominic West, no relation), who is suspected of killing his daughter and an ex-wife, and soon enough he confesses in detail to a killing or two. As time goes by and Fred agrees to show the authorities where he put the remains of his victims, he also hints to Janet of more people he has killed, but because of her obligation of confidentiality to him she cannot tell the police. Meanwhile, she also seems to be forming an overly complicated personal relationship with Fred as he gains her trust to help him get back his family and house, but to do this he must promise to reveal all the people he has killed. Also being questioned about the various murders, which may total up to twenty or more victims, is Fred's wife Rosemary Pauline West, née Letts (BAFTA winning Monica Dolan), who is seen on screen mostly swearing a lot and shouting that she is innocent and to let her husband go. After confessing the people he has allegedly killed Fred is sentenced to a court hearing which obviously turns into a life sentence, and Janet is forced but also obliged to continue the relationship with Fred in prison. The police continue their examination of the sights Fred pointed out, the bodies that have been found, and whether Rose is indeed guilty of killing as well, and Janet has a final telephone conversation with Fred. This is before the next day when he was found dead from hanging himself, Janet's husband realises that she may have had some bond towards the serial killer, like a friend. In the end, after Janet is slowly moving on with her own life with her husband and children Rose is the one who left to stand trial and she is indeed found guilty for many of the countless murders and sentenced to life imprisonment, advised never to be released. Also starring Hustle's Robert Glenister as Detective Superintendent John Bennett, Sylvestra Le Touzel as Detective Constable Hazel Savage, Anthony Flanagan as Mike, Samuel Roukin as Detective Constable Darren Law, Gerard Horan as Howard Ogden, Seline Hizli as Mae West, James McArdle as Stephen West, Rupert Simonian as Josh, Sophie Downham as Jade, Jasper Jacob as Brian Leveson QC, Robert Whitelock as DC Carl Kempinsky and Paula Williamson as Kirsty Stephens, and featuring the voices of real reports from Sir Trevor McDonald, John Suchet and Radio 1's Steve Scott. What is extraordinary about this dramatisation of the story is that it does not need to sensationalise any of the reported or discovered events, i.e. we never see any murders committed or see any bodies brought up from under the garden soil or the patio, this by the way is all I have heard about the murders, mostly from jokes made. Watson is fantastic as the social worker protagonist who sits and walks through the movements of the serial killer and finds some kind of odd but plausible need to be near him, and Dolan is really good as the swearing and equally dangerous Rose, but of course the show is stolen by the superb performance from West putting on an authentic Gloucestershire accent and is completely believable and powerful as the killer who acts calm but also nervous, but is not afraid when asked to describe in vivid detail about his murders and where the bodies can be found. I have had bad experiences with television dramas in the past, only Goodnight Mister Tom stands out as one of the truly brilliant ones, but I was pleasantly surprised by this utterly compelling and astoundingly played and scripted story of shocking murder and inhuman activity, played very calmly but fantastically engaging, superb crime drama. It won the BAFTA for Breakthrough Talent, and it was nominated for Best Director: Fiction for Julian Jarrold, Best Mini-Series, Best Production Design and Best Writer. Very good!

I was never aware these two sick animals' crimes, so I went in to this without knowing what this movie was about. A social work student is asked to act as an 'Appropriate Adult' for a guy in a police station who is dressed in a normal fashion, no chains or even handcuffs. The fellow speaks in a matter of fact manner about having problems with his daughter, who threatened to give LSD to her younger siblings, and the father says he loses control and chokes her. The fellow then is left alone with the 'AA' and makes some chilling remarks to her. The police are shown digging up the guy's backyard with him again, not in handcuffs, speaking knowledgeably about using some tools.

Basically, that's the pattern of the whole movie, and while it's kind of creepy, it gets kind of monotonous after a while, and I found myself wishing that the film would just end. Certainly, the two leads give good performances, but the director doesn't help them much in his choice of presenting the story in the manner of a play, rather than as a work of cinema.

Those who ask about the point of traditional TV and its chances in the increasingly fierce competition to create content on various mediums can be answered with references like 'Appropriate Adult'. The two-episode miniseries produced by ITV, which premiered in 2011, is an excellent example of the specific value that can be created by independent television studios. It is a psychological drama, a police investigation story, and a horror movie without any violent scenes, based on a real and highly publicized case in England in the 90s. The script is written by Neil McKay and directed by Julian Jarrold.

The story starts in Gloucester in 1994. Fred and Rosemary West became murder suspects somewhat by accident, following a complaint of domestic violence. The man was initially arrested and, as communication with investigators was difficult, the police requested the services of an 'appropriate adult' - one of those specific functions in the British legal and police system. This is a social worker position that may be requested by investigators or suspects when there are communication issues. Janet Leach was a psychologist and social worker, mother of two, whose partner suffered from bipolar psychological disorders. She had just graduated from the 'appropriate adult' training when she was called to help with the investigation which seemed quite mundane at first. At the first interrogation she assists, Fred West confesses to a murder. In particular, knowing that Janet cannot share confidential information, he confesses to Janet that there have been multiple murders along the years. The police continue to investigate, the number of bodies is increasing, and so are the number of confessed crimes. Meanwhile, a strange connection develops between the serial killer and the psychologist called to assist him in the interrogations. Can anything be sincere about this relationship, or is it just psychological manipulation on the part of a villain who seeks to hide his crimes, and when that is not possible, to protect his complicit wife? Janet's life, already complicated by the psychological problems of her life partner, begins to be influenced due to contact with the world of crime and the pressure of journalists reporting on this case that has become famous.

Much of the story takes place in the police interrogation rooms during Fred West's interrogations and then in the courtroom where Rosemary West is on trial. The very special quality of the series is given by the performances of the actors. Emily Watson, a leading actress of British cinema, is formidable in the role of the dedicated woman who wants to do her professional and civic duty and whose personal life is invaded by the dimensions of the case in which she is involved. Dominic West, who starred in 'The Wire', one of the best series in television history, is impressive as the criminal with a dark personality and charisma, who plays his fate in a complicated game with his investigators. Last but not least, Monica Dolan plays the role of Rosemary West, with a glacial sobriety, building an aura of horror around her person just from silences and looks. 'Appropriate Adult' is a gem among many TV mini-series of this kind, a film that deserves to be seen if you have the chance.

I made it 40 minutes in and it was good and the acting was good. But I wasn't drawn in for some reason. Maybe because I know the story of Fred and rosemary west? But I thought this would be a good take in it from another angle. I started googling and read the story about Janet and as horrible and stressful as it would have been for her, it sounds like she really cared about Fred and her own children suffered because of it. Because of this I just couldn't stomach watching any more of it, I went from feeling sorry for the main character to not wanting to watch her anymore.

The reviews are great for this show and I'm sure it will ends up being done well with brilliant acting, but I'm stopping here.

Worth watching, excellent performance by Dominic as Fred but your felt wondering what was the point in the appropriate adult. She is apparently told many clues to murders but doesn't say anything however she claims she wants to know more. Kind of makes no sense.

Either way, Fred and rose are both horrible ba$tard$ and they should have been burnt at the stake.