MovieChat Forums > The Hour (2011) Discussion > At First, I Thought It Was 'Good Night a...

At First, I Thought It Was 'Good Night and Good Luck' Meets 'Mad Men'...

posted 12 years ago by Beck_Mill_00
8 replies | jump to latest

...but it turned into its own high-quality work of entertainment.

The whole scowling and "mysterious" "villian" Kish character was somewhat cliché and I thought his whole "fight" scene with Freddie was laughable (that actor playing Freddy looks like he might be 85 lbs soaking wet with his clothes on) but other than that, I liked the first season.

I thought the acting was excellent! My only gripe is the casting of the Freddy character. While Ben Whishaw is a very talented actor, I think he was terribly miscast in this role. His youthful looks and demeanor can serve plenty of roles quite well, but I thought they did the Freddy character too much of a dis-service.

Anna Chancellor is great as a woman who's ahead of her time, not having a man and not feeling inadequate about it, having a career, not feeling guilty about casual sex, etc.

Dominic West, also great. I've really liked him since The Wire, a show I followed religiously. His American accent was very well done in that show, but it's not just his ear for accents that proves his mettle, I think he's got a vast, likeable and charismatic range.

Romola Garai. Wow! The woman is exquisite as an actress, IMO. I remember her being wonderful as Kate in Nicholas Nickelby and in Atonement, and she continues to deliver in this series. I'm sure it won't be long before Hollywood sees what a gem she is, but I hope she is selective with her projects. I wouldn't want to see her talent wasted on some mindless blockbuster popcorn flick, I want to see her shine in intelligent stories.

I'm not sure where the series can go, realistically, given how the first season ended, but I can't wait for the second season to hit Netflix or some other vehicle for me to watch it here in the states.

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[–] dano40-1 12 years ago

In America, what well written movies are there for women with brains and beauty not many, stay in the UK unless making money is the most important thing you want to do. Like Cate Blanchett, or Keely Hawes she radiates intellect, class, brains, and beauty in what average American movie would she be good fit in? Keeping in mind the fly over places in the middle of the country where women with brains and strange accents are frown upon.

[–] Beck_Mill_00 12 years ago

Homeland, The Good Wife (well, before this season anyway), Mad Men, are just a few, of many, very well-written shows in the US. Saying there "aren't many" well-written shows or movies for women in the US shows an obvious (and ignorant, IMO) prejudice.

Knowing what Romola Garai can do, I think she'd be even better than Claire Danes in Homeland. I'm not sure how convincing of an American accent she can do, but if she could do as well as Dominic West, Rupert Friend, Damian Lewis, Kate Winslet, etc...I think she would have been perfect for the part.

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[–] bilko-1 12 years ago

Nobody could be better than Claire Danes! Having said that, I have to admit to liking the actors on this show. It manages to get away with mixing ditzy romantic comedy with espionage, current affairs, suspense. A bit like the old Howard Hawkes movies.
I am particularly enjoying the closet gay Tory character and the performances of Peter Capaldi and that fabulous woman whose name I can never remember.

[–] bilko-1 12 years ago

Of course, it is Anna Chancelor! Brilliant actress, but will she ever scale the dizzy heights that she reached withe her performance in the Bodingtons beer advert?

[–] Julie-30 12 years ago

Anna Chancellor? She's terrific.

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[–] Beck_Mill_00 12 years ago

Agreed, she's magnificent! I just watched a Blu-Ray of Pride and Prejudice from 1995. The work they did for the Blu-Ray was very well done, it looks and sounds excellent. She was so convincing as one of the evil Bingley sisters.

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[–] Julie-30 12 years ago

Cate Blanchett isn't British. She's Australian.

And where do you get the idea that there are no good American actresses? Meryl Streep and Glenn Close play intelligent women and they are both big box office in the States.

Did you ever see a Myrna Loy movie? She was an American actress who oozed brains and beauty.

http://currentscene.wordpress.com

[–] GingerLee2082 12 years ago

Well this thread has just sold me. I'm giving the first series a try. I need something to watch before Mad Men and Game of Thrones come back.