Lewis Walston – Google

I was very disappointed. Gyllenhaal acted appropriately tortured for someone who been dumped by his lover who he suspected was killed by his wife. His wife evidently studied at the 'pretend you are eating a lemon' when your character is distressed. The story was padded with side trips that added nothing. Was the guy in prison necessary, the book did not need a suspect (?) in prison. For example, why the wife's flirtation with the bartender? The DA looked and sounded like a ventriloquist who had dropped his dummy. All the chief assistant district attorney needed was a black top hat and a mustache. I spent much of the time wondering why Kelly kept the character names and changed the characters. The ending was so unbelievable. The original ending was a twist but a believable.

I thought the first season was very good. The second season not so much. Gillian Anderson decided to play it extra stoic or she has a terrible case of botox face. The police procedure part just did not ring true with me after season one. It was an interesting touch to have Anderson's character sexually aggressive. It was strange as business like as she was to risk the integrity of the case by picking out a random policeman to have sex with, make a pass at the police pathologist, and then pick member based apparently on looks. The third season was mixed bag. It was uneven with an tacked on unsatisfying ending. I doubt if I would watch a season 4.

I had never heard of it. It was a powerful film. It was entertaining. The underlying message is timeless. Abject poverty dehumanizes. The British arrogance in the beginning almost sets them up as villains. I thought Jim Broadbent's portrayal of the lord listening to the Stephen Rea character defend the Irish made a good scene if a little improbable. It would have been easy to write this off as an Irish Rambo, but it was more.