Eric Man

The Hack is really two stories in one - both vital - both desperately needing to be told. One concerns the phone hacking scandal - mentioned in the programme title; the other the murder of Daniel Morgan a private investigator whose perpetrators (like those of Stephen Lawrence) are well known but due to police cock iOS never brought to trial. And while it’s nice to see Alistair Morgan played by Phil Davis (always a gem to see Davis) these two narratives just have nothing in common. And worse - the Morgan case deserved a series of its own - don’t you think ITV? Unfortunately the disconnect between the two makes the first few episodes of The Hack extremely extremely boring. I kept wondering when we were going to get back to the story. And as most people in the UK know - it was all going to end with Millie Dowler (who - for foreign viewers remains a complete mystery). Then there’s the campaigners and victims obviously missing who took over from the Guardian - whose tale this series focuses on- and arguably did far more: Hugh Grant and Christopher Jeffries. I couldn’t help feeling- such opportunities lost and too much on insider journalism that nobody cares about. For those unaware phone hacking consists of getting into people’s voicemail due to consumers - us - not setting up voicemail passwords. If emails were given away with generic passwords that none of us bothered to change the innocent would rightly be called out for our stupidity - but it seems when even the editor of the Guardian doesn’t have the gall to change his voicemail password that’s a terrible scandal? You get the picture … On the plus side some great acting (could we have more Adrian Lester please?) and the last two episodes were riveting … but I still have no idea who Jacqui is and from this portrayal really don’t care. A messy drama with some good bits.

I’d been looking forward to this film for over a year - having read the book. While the book itself has many holes (the couple lose their farm which is never explained - due to a bad investment and keep their jeep - making the choice to sleep on the path - ) the film is riddled with them. The humour of being mistaken for Simon Armitage - the poet laureate - is also gone leaving one friend to ask: surely Simon would love to have appeared? The film also covers only 1:4 of the south west coast path. Worst of all what the film doesn’t explain is how: walking helps Moss’s condition - rather the film jumps from man diagnosed with incurable illness and being told to rest to wife saying “let’s walk” making no sense whatsoever. What’s wrong in a major way then is the adaptation- (the same writer also wrote the flagging Colette) - On the plus side - there’s nice views of Devon and Cornwall - what we see of them. If you’re single and think it would be nice to be in a relationship go watch this film - it’s so full of co-dependency it’ll make you feel glad you’re on your own! Lucky even.

You know if you’re watching a Steve McQueen film it’s all about the racism init? It takes all of 5 minutes for the first racial slur and what should be a decent and easy to make film about the Blitz becomes a boring little racial tomb to which none of the characters exude any empathy whatsoever. Still it was nice to see Paul Weller!

Gave up midway episode 2. Zero plot. Terrible acting. Pop spy shooting (lots and lots of shooting) - it’s been done so many times before but so much better. Spare yourself. Watch Die Hard instead

You know a film is bad when it TRIES to be funny. This is just poor -and asides from Jessie Buckley the acting is truly terrible, especially from Olivia Coleman who plays... well Olivia Coleman. The script has got to be one of the most cliched ever written, and absolutely embarrassing. It is also unbelievable in its casting of diverse characters - an Asian police woman? Gladys Moss, the real WPC (she calls herself a police officer - the word 'officer' has NEVER been used in British policing - it is constable - was the first WPC in Britain and was, of course, a white woman) yet she is played by an Asian actress. The neighbour's lover is black; the judge is black. You wouldn't have seen any black or asian characters in Littlehampton in the 1970s let alone just after WW1. I understand the attraction of diversity - but to cast asian and black actors as characters in a white town is ludicrous. As is creating an atmosphere where racism is absent. If only the film had been made with an element of realism and not played for laughs it may have been funny. This is one of those films that is SO embarrassing you want to hide under a table with your fingers in your ears wishing it would go away. Thankfully I only paid 1.99 renting it on Amazon Prime. And even then I wish I could get a refund.

Predictable Tosh - so obvious what was going to happen in the first 30 minutes I skipped from Ep1 to Ep4 and missed nothing. Same as but seen done much better. Not even great acting could save this nonsense. It did make me question though: why are single women always portrayed as mad or bad? Never happy… and yes I know plenty of happy and successful single women!

30 minutes in and had to turn off. Badly acted- cliched story and having seen THAT scene of man slurping bath water and sperm - so glad I didn’t persevere.

Very slow. Held together entirely by Zoe Tapper. Lacks philosophy or serious thought - a dredge that requires multitasking or binge eating just to get through. In a word: boring! For a drama playing on dna determining live matches they plot could have played out in so many ways but the writer clearly lacked the imagination to think outside the tiny genetic box the viewer was placed in.

If James Bond was a woman with a family Erin Carter would be it! Fantastic plot line - lots of twists and turns but the best bits are Erin’s fighting skills - fantastic! Can’t understand commentators who say this is not believable. Is Bourne believable? Is Bond believable? This is pure fantasy - believability in the true sense of fiction. Kept me enthralled all the way and great ending! And with Douglas Henshaw to boot!

Very entertaining- keeps one guessing. And Julia Robert’s isn’t as annoying as usual! Some beautiful scenes - clearly taken from Tarkovsky (which is ironic once you see the film). Well worth a watch.