hugo F

Excruciating, eye roll inducing clap trap. Paltrow's 'English' accent aside, proof that even the best actors (Hannah, Lynch) can't create fully formed characters from a dire script. Both the male leads play hand wringing apologists who you'd just like to sock in the jaw, if only you cared enough to do so. Paltrow's Helen, about as interesting as grey rice pudding, may well make you feel robbed of the two hours you invested in this film, only for her to forget the Highway Code and *SPOILER ALERT* get hit by a van.

Seriously, Michael Scott did a better job of surviving in the wild.

With such a stellar cast (most of whom acted flawlessly throughout) you will be astonished at how laughably awful this four-part drama is. It starts with a few plot flaws and cliches. Your gut will tell you to quit but thanks to Jill Halfpenny and her co-stars you'll persevere. Sadly, my friend, it is downhill from here. You might feel bemused, amused, to find yourself drowning in such inexplicable nonsense. SPOILERS. A woman so intent on believing a stranger is her missing son she stalks him, ingratiates herself into his life, gets a job in his school with a five minute interview, knocks his dad out (after his dad drives her around a bit in his car..), abducts the kid, then suddenly decides er no, he's not my son; her barrister brother who's been conning her for years is inexplicably able to falsify police DNA results; the father accused of abducting his own son suddenly spills his life story to the woman accusing him of abduction whilst in police custody; her naughty barrister brother rows the kid into the lake yet (unseen by the viewer) locks him in a shed instead; naughty barrister brother then swims after Jill and kid as they row away, drowning himself in such a farcical way you might laugh out loud; the original kid's body was in the lake all those years but the police divers didn't find it and naughty barrister brother hid it but no one noticed him dripping wet at the time. As an aside, the family have an entire range of regional accents. This could have been great. It wasn't.