Skunkyrate Gripping story with well-crafted characters

Ketrivie It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Mandeep Tyson The acting in this movie is really good.

Beth Cole You can tell how evil or - can't really say "good", let's settle for "less evil" - a person is by the length and intensity of their glares.It's as if John Barrymore and Gloria Swanson were brought in as acting coaches.Worsened by head-scratching plot developments such as throwing out a diaphragm but leaving its box in the medicine cabinet (huh?).Oh, and these high-achieving politicians haven't mastered the basic use of a shredder, yet.So if you can buy all that, maybe you'll like the show. I didn't and was lol-ing my way through the end.

jlthornb51 Emily Watson is fantastic in this tremendous British political drama. As the wife of an ambitious politician played by David Tennant, she gives what is nothing less than the performance of a lifetime. Ms. Watson exudes sexuality and her quiet beauty and stunning eyes are completely mesmerizing. In several sequences she virtually sets the screen afire with her volcanic but subdued passion. It is amazing to watch her create a character that is incredibly desirable and stunningly sensual while at the same time being strong willed and seemingly made of steel. Speaking volumes with just those magnificent eyes, she conveys more emotion in a glance than 50 pages of exposition. This is a character who is all woman and then some and there is no doubt regarding her prowess in the bedroom. However, she is equally adept in the cabinet room and her strength as a leader even surpasses her carnal appetites. Watson is the only actress who could manage this and it's wondrous to see. It is no wonder she is so acclaimed as an actor and after so many superb performances that she remains the most respected actress of our time. It doesn't seem possible that she could exceed herself with every role but she does so in film after film as her career continues to astound.

trimmer31 Let me preface this by saying that David Tennant's portrayal of Aiden was masterful and, while I feel Emily Watson was poorly cast here, her effort as Freya was very well done, as well.However -- either the writing was weak, or this was a 6 hour miniseries cut down to three. So much is missing. So much is there and makes you ask yourself, why?The son... what role does he play? Having a child with challenges like this, there was so much character development, for the child as well as for his parents, that could have gone on around this story arc that... didn't. The daughter? Other than the fact of the existence of children in the home (and the nanny being a presence), there is little development here. Many of the plot lines simply... end... without any closure. What happened with the nanny? What happened with the son's challenges at school and elsewhere? What was the purpose of Aiden's father's death? I feel that this could have been so much better, had only they taken the time to tell the story in more depth, or not left so many arcs hanging. How do you go from "I'll take the children away so you can move out," in one scene, to arrival at #10 as an obviously estranged but "united front in front of the cameras" power couple in the next? As I said, the story, while brilliantly acted, was choppy; either poorly written, or half of it is still laying on the editing room floor.

arlene bradley Brilliant drama, a gripping and extraordinary film about politics, power, and political marriages. David Tennant (Aiden Hoynes) and Emily Watson (Freya Hoynes) are brilliant in this film, in roles that are not typical for either one as their characters are not nice people. In fact most of the characters in this film are not nice people. David Tennant portrays Aiden with a very sinister side but with a touch of humanity. Almost all the really emotional scenes belong to Tennant who portrays them with perfection. Emily Watson is brilliant but could have portrayed a little more emotion. Ed Stoppard as Bruce Babbish is chilling, with friends like that you don't need enemies. The performances by all the actors are outstanding. Many of the tender moments in this film are between Aiden and his father, and Aiden and his son. Be aware that their are some strong sexual references in this film and including one very violet sex act at the beginning of part 2 between Tennant and Watson. A very good look at the seedy side of politics. The ending could have been a little better and the dialog could have been better,well worth watching and owning.