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Reviews
Peaky Blinders (2013)
A blinder of a show
As a born and bred Brummy with a mild interest in our history, I'm really pleased with this series. Firstly that we're not being overlooked for London, Manchester or Liverpool, and we're being allowed our own history, which is interesting and colourful.
At first glance the downstairs of the Shelby house looks too big to be the ground floor of a terrace, and people seem to be using their front doors far too often which, since there seems to be a significant amount of 'respect' being shown and rules being followed, it irks me that this protocol's being ignored. That said, it does look better to have the character using the front door.
My other issue is accents. In fairness, for the most part people are doing an amazing job - most real Brummy accents do not sound like the caricature most people think of, and this is being respected by the actors with only the occasional slip... except for Aunt Polly. Helen McCrory is a fine actress - a mistress of the Brummy accent she isn't. Her performance is making up for it however.
The Jamaiacan preacher amused me; as pointed out by another reviewer this actor is Benjamin Zephaniah: B'ham local and poet. Jamaica did send help over for WWI, so it's not impossible that several men stayed. He is a wonderful reminder that Birmingham has always been a hub for migration - even more so after WWII.
Sam Neill's performance is amazing.
So far the series is not just telling an interesting story, it's telling elements of Brummagem's history and present in a subtle and interesting way. I hope it continues.
Hattie (2011)
A tragic story of poor communication and confidence
There is no villain of this story - Hattie and her husband John are almost strangers in their own home from the way they are portrayed, and none of this need happen if they had learned to communicate, rather than pass like ships in the night. Then along comes a beautiful man, with issues of his own, who gives Hattie something she's been lacking for a long time - the belief that she was a beautiful, sexual being.
And regarding Hattie's weight: she is shown in this to be unhappy with her size, but being big gave her work that she would not have had otherwise. One can sling mud at her, call her horrible names, but the public encouraged her to stay that way.
The sensitive handling of this piece does exactly what it should - it shows that it was a sad situation where people failed to talk to one another and took things, and each other, for granted.