STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning
After their mother dies, Dom (Josh Bolt) and Stephen (Robert Sheehan) Cartwright are a little taken aback when their father Jack (John Bishop) starts up a relationship with Charlotte (Sheridan Smith), the nurse who tended their mother in her final days. While Dom gradually starts to warm to her, Stephen develops a deep rooted psychosis and starts to believe Charlotte is intending to do them all harm, leading to an earth shattering act where someone ends up in the dock.
Opening with a scene that immediately makes for an emotional set up, this latest addition to Jimmy McGovern's Accused series starts from a different angle to his last two instalments and plays out in much the same fashion. Since it's the entry where the human dynamics play the biggest part, the story evokes some decent drama from it's mostly young cast, who are given some sizable material to work with. Sadly, the mystery of who will be murdered (or, in this case, attempted murdered) and who by is no surprise and takes forever to play out, unlike in the last two where there was a genuine air of mystery and surprise when the cat came out the bag.
This part is also notable for being an acting job for popular comedian John Bishop, who turns in an average performance at best and is certainly nothing to write home about. Slightly more effective in the supporting role is fellow Merseysider Smith, who is a bit more forceful and dynamic. But, as I said, it's the younger cast who keep this boat flowing, with Sheehan the star of the show as the increasingly delusional young man. This is decent enough, but compared with the last two, it's below par. ***
After their mother dies, Dom (Josh Bolt) and Stephen (Robert Sheehan) Cartwright are a little taken aback when their father Jack (John Bishop) starts up a relationship with Charlotte (Sheridan Smith), the nurse who tended their mother in her final days. While Dom gradually starts to warm to her, Stephen develops a deep rooted psychosis and starts to believe Charlotte is intending to do them all harm, leading to an earth shattering act where someone ends up in the dock.
Opening with a scene that immediately makes for an emotional set up, this latest addition to Jimmy McGovern's Accused series starts from a different angle to his last two instalments and plays out in much the same fashion. Since it's the entry where the human dynamics play the biggest part, the story evokes some decent drama from it's mostly young cast, who are given some sizable material to work with. Sadly, the mystery of who will be murdered (or, in this case, attempted murdered) and who by is no surprise and takes forever to play out, unlike in the last two where there was a genuine air of mystery and surprise when the cat came out the bag.
This part is also notable for being an acting job for popular comedian John Bishop, who turns in an average performance at best and is certainly nothing to write home about. Slightly more effective in the supporting role is fellow Merseysider Smith, who is a bit more forceful and dynamic. But, as I said, it's the younger cast who keep this boat flowing, with Sheehan the star of the show as the increasingly delusional young man. This is decent enough, but compared with the last two, it's below par. ***