Film Pick UK

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Written by Jed Mercurio, produced by the BBC, and starring Keeley Hawes and Richard Madden. I was on the edge of my seat from about 4 minutes in and I stayed there. The Bodyguard is utterly gripping. I will not drip feed you the plot, there are no spoilers here, suffice it to say that set in the UK today it is both relevant and believable. Power, its uses and abuses are interestingly observed in a variety of ways. David Budd (Madden) war veteran turned protection officer, is assigned the role of Bodyguard to the Home Secretary Julia Montague (Hawes)  It's great to see Keeley Hawes back in full stride, playing a role that so becomes her. I am not a fan of The Durrell's, any of them. I am an Ashes to Ashes fan, to me she is forever immortalised as D.I. Drake. Here, she is back in kick ass mode playing a ruthless, ambitious politician who pulls no punches.  Jed Mercurio writes well for women, no paper cut out dolls here. Hawes gets to deliver s...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  A girl is raped and murdered in a small town and nobody is particularly interested in finding out who did it. Except her mother Mildred who finds a way to make the local police sit up and take notice. Played by Frances McDormand Mildred is a force to be reckoned with and the audience are with her all the way. The film tackles some very serious issues but does so with a humour that is exquisitely dark and deeply satisfying. Martin McDonagh skillfully ends the film on a poignant and thought provoking note. © Theresa Collins