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"Case Histories" More at IMDbPro »
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| Index | 13 reviews in total |
24 out of 28 people found the following review useful:
Great new series, 23 June 2011
Author:
John Cox from United Kingdom
Another great new British detective mystery series. Isaacs is an
excellent lead figure - though it took me awhile to realise that he was
Lucius Malfoy.It's not the type of series that explains every detail in
case you missed it but lures you into guessing what will happen next.
The story lines so far have been gripping and interestingly human -
usually running two or three over the two hour programme. The
characters have depth and the interweaving is clever. Maybe the
childhood flashback is shown a little too often.
The scenery is stunning.
Hope it continues the way it started.
16 out of 20 people found the following review useful:
A fabulous mini-series, makes totally riveting viewing, 18 August 2011
Author:
robert-temple-1 from United Kingdom
Jason Isaacs says he hates detective series, and yet he has proved in this BBC mini-series that he is one of the best detectives ever cast in a film. He has all the human qualities that so many of them lack, and his well-rounded portrayal is a triumph, in lifting detective stories onto a higher plane. It is impossible to praise Isaacs highly enough for his superb realisation of this sympathetic character who just happens, as a disgraced ex-policeman, to have taken up work as a detective. The setting is the beautiful city of Edinburgh, exploited visually to the full. Edinburgh is above all the British city with the most magnificent vistas of them all, surpassing even Bath in that respect. The mini-series is based on some novels by a prize-winning Edinburgh-based writer named Kate Atkinson. This explains the fantastically complex and interweaving plots of the films, which go far beyond the normal intricacies of even the most elaborate scripts. The rich tapestry which is thus woven is satisfying in a way that so much of television is not. This mini-series is thus an exemplar of what those of us concerned with quality should all hope for. Three different directors (Marc Jobst, Bill Anderson, and Dan Zeff) helm the three double-episodes, and are uniformly excellent. The series was 'devised for television by Ashley Pharoah', who although he seemingly can't spell 'pharaoh' properly, is a well-known figure in British and American television. The supporting performances in these tangled tales are all excellent. Two of the most charming are by the child actress Millie Innes, who is as winsome as they come and plays the daughter of Isaacs, and the teenager Gwyneth Keyworth, who plays a fascinating waif in the final story. Fenella Woolgar is, as usual, compulsively watchable in a harrowing character role, and Natasha Little as her glamorous sister manages to add extra twinkle and sparkle to a character who might have been flat in the script but got proper three dimensions in her portrayal. Amanda Abbington is excellent as the police woman with a love/hate relationship with Isaacs, and once again a part which might have been hackneyed comes alive as a rounded individual at her hands.
11 out of 14 people found the following review useful:
Reasonable new crime drama, 21 June 2011
Author:
Tweekums from United Kingdom
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
As I enjoy crime dramas and think Jason Isaacs is a pretty good actor I
had to check this series out. Sadly it wasn't as good as I'd hoped;
that isn't to say it was terrible; just rather average… although I
think it improved as the series progressed. Jason Isaacs did a good job
as ex-cop private investigator Jackson Brodie who, as well as solving
cases, has to deal with the fact that his ex-wife is about to emigrate
to New Zealand with their daughter Marlee. This was rather unfortunate
as it provided an unnecessary distraction and the scenes with Jackson
and Marlee in the opening story were some of the most entertaining;
every time he took her out he ended up doing something to do with his
case which Marlee enjoyed but her mother did not approve of. Each story
started with him investigating fairly trivial crimes such as looking
for a missing cat or trying to find out if a man's wife was unfaithful
but ended up with him investigating murders. He was always at just the
wrong place; nobody can be as unlucky as Jackson; he goes for a jog by
the sea and finds a body in the water; he breaks down and while walking
along the road in nearly hit by an old woman who then crashes onto a
railway line only to by hit by a train which puts him in hospital!
The six episode series was made up of three two part stories with
ongoing flashbacks concerning the death of his sister that occurred
when he was a child, I thought that this would be the major mystery
solved in the final episode but it turned out not to be the case. As
well as the good performance from Jason Isaacs; Amanda Abbingdon was
good as his friend and former colleague DCI Louise Monroe and Millie
Innes was delightful as his daughter Marlee. While the stories had an
almost old fashioned feel to them with lots of coincidence helping our
hero there were quite a few shocking moments too; I won't go into
details but the final episode was shocking and wince-inducing at the
same time near the end! The stories weren't the best I've seen but I'd
recommend it to fans of crime fiction and will continue watching if
further episodes get commissioned; by the time it ended I was rather
hooked.
8 out of 10 people found the following review useful:
We loved this, will there be more? Please? More?, 2 November 2011
Author:
leafy-2 from United States
This is a beyond good series. I had not read her books, but will now. The stories are edge of the seat as well as being sad and funny. The settings are beautiful or interesting and the characters are complex. I don't agree with any of the criticism,my husband and I were mesmerized. We turned on the closed captioning so as not to miss a word of dialogue. I am now motivated to see the Harry Potter movies, just for Jason Isaacs. I never fail to be amazed at the over the top talent of the British ,it is so refreshing to watch actors that are not Hollywood, and look like real people. This is as good as Luther. Seriously.
8 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
Fabulous, 30 October 2011
Author:
bshantinorth from United States
In a word:fabulous. Compelling, not to miss a word of dialog. The story line evolves from a loosely woven beginning to a tight ending. Enticed one wonders where it will go in the end. The acting brings you into the heart and soul of the characters, who have lives and emotions that inter connect and create a richness not found in the usual mystery genre. If you are pining for a who done it go to Sherlock or Perot. Jackson Brodie is superbly acted, a romantic,wounded hero who knows life has its price and he is not afraid of it. He rescues and restores justice for his clients,he is an admirable, and often suffering hero. Suffering humanizes him and we all can identify with his pain. The theme of father figure and the need to protect are strong motivations for the character. Sophisticated and refreshing for this genre. I want more. This is the new school, old school mystery is predictable and tiresome. We want sexy guys, with real life stories, love and lust thrown in the mix, the Victorian thing is over.
5 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
Closure comes in many forms, 27 October 2011
Author:
blanche-2 from United States
Jason Isaacs stars as detective Jackson Brodie in "Case Histories,"
which is a miniseries filmed in Edinburgh. Brodie works on several
cases at once. This episode concerned a child who disappeared 30 years
earlier, a young woman who was murdered years earlier, a woman engaged
to be married attempting to find her niece, plus he's helping a
paranoid old woman who never pays him. And her nephew is after him to
stop. Divorced, Brodie often takes his daughter on cases when he has
visitations, and she's quick to tell her mother, "Dad beat up a man,"
and things of that nature when she gets home.
The series is based on books by Kate Allison. The stories are dark and
brooding amidst the glorious scenery of Edinburgh - absolutely
spectacular cinematography. The stories intertwine and have more than a
few twists. In short, "Case Histories" makes for very absorbing
viewing.
Jackson Brodie is a likable character in the hands of Jason Isaacs -
he's handsome, adventurous, and really tries to help his clients. He
has sadness, too -- his brother was killed, and the case has never been
solved. Everyone has secrets on "Case Histories." The acting is very
good, but Millie Innes who plays Brodie's daughter is irresistible, a
beautiful child as well as a good actress. What sets Brodie apart a bit
from some other detectives is the human touch. He's a man of great
humanity, and he brings this to his cases. Highly recommended.
3 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Another superb Ashley Pharoah production, 8 January 2012
Author:
bbewnylorac
I have just finished watching Case Histories on DVD and I can't fault it. It's just superb television. I have read all the Kate Atkinson books and Jason Isaacs is perfect to play Jackson Brodie, and all the other actors and characterisations are offbeat without being too wacky - i.e. they have real depth to them. It's amazing that the series portrays so much violence and bleakness and yet you still love it and cheer on the good guys. And the good guys aren't perfect. I might have known that Ashley Pharoah was the screenwriter: Life on Mars which he co-created is one of my all time favourite TV series. Edinburgh and rural Scotland makes for a fantastic backdrop, and Atkinson's intricate plots are executed with superb clarity and yet not losing their great heart. Congratulations to everyone behind the series: bring on season 2!
2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Case Histories and Jackson Brodie, 24 October 2011
Author:
CineNutty from United States
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
There is a bit of realism about bureaucracies and police work which
comes through loud and clear. The real why Jackson Brodie is a "good
copper" is because he cares about people and cares about his work. At
the same time, he has a deep underlying motivation based on a tragedy
in his own life as he was growing up. It is analogous to what motivates
some psychologists in going into psychology in the first place. Thus,
there is a relevant dose of human nature and human motivation that is
lacking in many crime dramas from the standpoint of what pushes the
investigator.
As to production values, the Brodie's secretary is a real trip with the
correct mix of efficiency, humor and acerbic wit. Zawe Ashton plays the
secretary and is an accomplished actress. Likewise Jason Issacs who
played the memorable villain Col. Tavington in "The Patriot" does more
than yeoman's work as the troubled ex-copper Jackson who bucks the
system even for the dead. With the occasional twist and turn as you
would expect in a British mystery, this offering is better than 95 % of
the crime dramas on American TV.
Clever series about fate and coincidence based on the books of Kate Atkinson, 22 February 2013
Author:
Rupert17 from Australia
Jason Brodie is a private investigator whose goal in life is to bring
closure to lives on hold. His own sad past is the springboard from
which he throws himself - sometimes reluctantly - into the problem of
others.
Like many heroes of modern literature, Brodie is a flawed character
whose personal failings never cease to amaze him: a failed marriage
from which came a child he adores; an ambiguous friendship with a
feisty female police inspector that could be going somewhere or
nowhere;and a private detective business groaning under the weight of
his inability to take on lucrative jobs rather than exercises in
humanitarian kindness where the paycheck isn't always bankable and his
carping secretary is only too willing to let him know.
It's ingenious the way Kate Atkinson's narrative sees apparently
disconnected stories seamlessly interweave and overlap. Jason Isaacs is
just right as the tough, selfless, good-hearted Brodie and each of the
six episodes is filled with excellent acting and direction. 9/10
9 out of 22 people found the following review useful:
Interesting.., 12 June 2011
Author:
sagei
Easy viewing about a scot\ex cop\pi. Isaacs is compelling enough to
convince as the basically good guy whose life however is far from good
personally or professionally.
Cases seem to fall into his lap and he works more than one at a time.
This would work well in a book but feels rather contrived on screen. No
Hollywood endings but isn't more credible for it. Strange to say
considering that we routinely suspend logic and reason as viewers but
the stories interweave with a neatness that doesn't sit well.
Stories and pacing like this work better with narration. But no
personal observations here, since apart from some remarks about his
daughter's outfit etc he isn't exactly chatty.
Stunning landscapes and competent cast. Relaxed pace, few twists and
some good music.
Dark and brooding without being haunting or particularly memorable.
Will look good compared to some other small screen offerings but wont
stand up well on it's own.
Wish them well.
Thank you.
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