The Riddle (2007)

Director:

Brendan Foley

Writer:

Brendan Foley (writer)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A journalist investigates a series of murders that follows the discovery of an unpublished novel by Charles Dickens in the cellar of an old Thames-side-pub. Gradually he becomes obsessed with unraveling a century-old murder in the pages of the manuscript. Only when he has done so, with the help of a mysterious beach-combing tramp who stalks the Thames foreshore, is he able to solve the modern murders.

Cast

Vinnie Jones	...	Mike Sullivan
Derek Jacobi	...	The Tramp / Charles Dickens
Julie Cox	...	Kate Merrill
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Roberta Elliot
Jason Flemyng	...	Don Roberts CEO
P.H. Moriarty	...	D.I. Willis / Constable Frederick (as P H Moriarty)
Mel Smith	...	Professor Cranshaw
Vera Day	...	Sadie Miller
Mark Asante	...	Dwayne
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Matt Bailey	...	Lab Technician
Daniel Bartlett	...	Rower
Vincent Bishop	...	Interview Room PC (as Vince Bishop)
Barbara Edwards	...	Receptionist
'Long Bob' Elvin	...	Harry the Hat
John Enright	...	Arresting PC
Elly Fairman	...	Veronica Miller (as Ellie Fairman)
Michael Fenton Stevens	...	Alistair Forsyth M.P.
Shelly Goldstein	...	Mrs. Maud Skenshal
Sandy Hill	...	Maid
Gareth Hunt	...	Roy McBride
Scott James	...	Kev
Ted James	...	Baby Jimmy daCosta
Allin Kempthorne	...	Cedric Skenshal
Michael Lawson	...	Mourner
Kenny Lynch	...	Shotgun Ronnie White
Louise Morrison	...	Kelly Robinson
Clemmie Myers	...	Margot and Alice Abercrombie
Tommy O'Neill	...	Foreshore Thug 2
Terry Powell	...	Butler
Magda Rodriguez	...	Ruth
Darren Selvidge	...	Thames River PC
Paul Valentine	...	Foreshore Thug 1

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence, language and brief sexuality.

Runtime:

UK:116 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Chislehurst Caves, Chislehurst, Kent, England, UK

Company:

Grosvenor Park Productions

Trivia:

Final film of Gareth Hunt.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the bar scene where the main character is drugged by Tiffany, we see him reach down to pick up her wallet, she is wearing solid black shoes In the next scene (Wide Shot) where she drags the drunk/drugged Vinnie Jones to his apartment, she is wearing open toe shiny ones.

Soundtrack:

Midnight Cowboy

keeping up with the Dickens

Somewhat confusing story about a Londoner (Vinnie Jones) who gets involved in a web of intrigue centering on newly discovered Charles Dickens manuals. I spent much of the movie wondering how much of the stuff about Dickens himself was true; I would like to know more about Charles Dickens as a person.

Other than that, the acting kept the movie afloat. Aside from Jones, Derek Jacobi, Julie Cox, Vanessa Redgrave and Jason Flemyng turn in very good performances. It's just that I felt that the movie didn't tell as much about Charles Dickens as I would have wanted to hear. Pretty good otherwise.