Reviews

I have watched all of the Belgian series (3 seasons) and one episode of the French(?) version. I watched the first episode as I was curious as to how the British version would work the zany and comedic scenes. I was not greatly impressed with the characters, who are subdued. Also, the great genius of this work is, of course, describing the process of recovery from trauma (what, is that possible!?) that was so well depicted in the Belgian series. My hope is that the British series allows the characters to enter into the crazy, painful, and vibrant process of recovery from trauma. In short, the topic is very intense and does not call for the reserved and subdued acting and direction that the first episode revealed. All of that aside, I think the production values are good, the actors are very good, the music is okay, and the direction needs energy.

Much as I enjoyed Croatia as the setting for North Dakota, I was very disappointed with the shallow and eviscerated plot. If you are looking for a movie like the book, look elsewhere. This is like someone extracting a couple pages from a long graphic novel--just the shell, a little PC to be current, and shallow in characters and story.

This would be simply a standard BBC anti-Catholic series if it did not defile the mystery writer who showed the way after Holmes. I should think someone would sue for fraud. If you want to enjoy this great mystery story, leave the Beeb behind and read the book. The actual story is well-written with a very clever plot and worth reading. As to another sappy, perjorative anti-Papist series, who needs yet another?

I tried hard to like this show--saw S1 E3--and failed. Agree with lots of other reviews--what acting? poor plot, screen writing was the best but still mediocre. Very sad as I wanted to like it.

Stefan is woken from his sleep by an old Jewish melody. He suffers in place of the old man and bleeds, literally, for him, taking on his ills until the old song is reborn into a great piece of music.

Zannussi knows how to craft a tale, always with haunting. The story is real, the hope is born out through earthen, imperfect vessels, and there is suffering. What more could one ask for. I think the best line is judging between the music and life. In the end, transcendence is nothing we can control, only allow.

I found the series compelling and refreshingly not American. Thus, no happy ever afters, real life consequences, and no PC. The plot is intriguing, a police detective investigating himself via amnesia. The relationships are not too predictable; I like his son saying "Just because you have forgotten everything doesn't mean that I have". I recommend it as it is a good story, a challenging theme, and an attempt at realism.

The acting was good and I liked the direction and photography. The plot was weird (episode 1.10). Lots of evil that all gets resolved with everyone living happily ever after despite lots of trauma. At the beginning money and excessive living is the bane of society and it ends with lots of money solving all problems.