He Kills Coppers (2008) (TV)

Director:

Adrian Shergold

Writers:

Jake Arnott (novel)
Ed Whitmore (writer)

Release Date:

23 March 2008 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

Three policemen are brutally murdered during the 1966 World Cup celebrations. "He Kills Coppers" follows...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Mel Raido	...	Billy Porter
Liam Garrigan	...	Jonathan Young
Rafe Spall	...	Frank Taylor
Steven Robertson	...	Tony Meehan
Tim Woodward	...	Nipper Reed
Kelly Reilly	...	Jeannie
Kemal Sylvester	...	Maltese
Glyn Grimstead	...	Alf Isaacs
Paul Ritter	...	Sid Franks
Robert Demeger	...	Bookie
Cameron Jack	...	Jimmy
Cavan Clerkin	...	Stan
Lucy Holt	...	Sandra
James Dreyfus	...	Julian
Paul Clayton	...	Tweed Suit

Runtime:

139 min (3 episodes)

Country:

UK

Company:

Ecosse Films

Trivia:

The title "He Kills Coppers" is taken from a chant used by football crowds to taunt police officers who are keeping order at football matches.

Quotes:

Peter: Billy Porter is our friend, is our friend,is our friend,Billy Porter is our friend,he kills coppers!

Movie Connections:

Follows The Long Firm (2004) (TV)

Perfunctory

For a mainstream drama on ITV, 'He Kills Coppers' is remarkably harsh, complex and realistic; a long way from conventional serial-killer cliché. An enigmatic villain, and the under-Britain he inhabits, is set against a story of corrupt policeman: there's certainly promise in the premise. Unfortunately, the acting isn't brilliant (Steven Robinson as the journalist is particularly poor) and the direction relies too much on the soundtrack to insert some otherwise missing emotion. The real problem is that the story seems abbreviated; a succession of events enticingly set out but never fully elaborated; what's left is perfunctory, a barely illustrated outline. It's a shame, as I can believe there was potential here.