A Spy Among Friends

'A Spy Among Friends' is hard work. So hard, in fact, that even having watched it to its conclusion I'm not absolutely certain of what was going on throughout its six episodes. And the reason for this is two-fold:

1. The story concerns spies and counter-spies and. For all I know,. Counter-counter-spies, and that itself makes for a difficult road. But, 2. Making matters more difficult (by far) is that the series goes back and forth and back again and forth again between time periods so that we can never grow comfortable with what's going on in the 'current' story-line. The series plays with us in this regard. A 1963 character walks into a room and in the next instant we see the same character in 1945 entering an altogether different room. And while we're trying to make sense of all this, the story moves to another time or place entirely.

Damien Lewis as one of the film's leads is excellent. There is about him an effete upper-crust quality that at times gives way to a very humane and caring side. Guy Pearce as 'The Spy' has a less complex role, but he carries it off nicely. We do not experience the battles within his mind as well as we might; his duplicity is, after all, the reason for this story (based on a true UK spy Kim Philby who in fact spied FOR the Soviets. Anna Maxwell Martin as a government interrogator (MI5) is absolutely wonderful. If there's a hero in this series, it is she.

In short, hard work. At times fatiguing. But worth giving it a try.

But if while watching it you begin to hope that the following episodes will be 'more clear', you can forget about sticking with it.

They won't.

In the 1950s, John Le Carre (as he wasn't yet known) had to leave his job in the British secret service following the defection of the Kim Philby. Le Carre adopted his pen name and took up a new career as a writer of spy thrillers; and most directly fictionalised the Philby story in his most famous novel, 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy'. This was adapted into a brilliant, talky television drama, featuring many of the outstanding British actors of the 1970s. It was more recently made into a film; but in a very different style. 'A Spy Among Friends' is new, less fictionalised account of Philby's defection, but it's far more like the 1970s version of Le Carre's work than the later film. Guy Pearce, Damian Lewis and Anna Maxwell Martin, among others, sit around talking. I should absoultely love it, given how much I adore its spritual predecessor, and it is good; but it's a little bit too clever, and it can be hard to follow all the subtle twists of plot. The Australian Pearce in particular is very good (and convincingly English) as Philby, but it's a muted affair.

A movie about the world of spies, not a spy movie.

Captivating and dynamic to the end; even in crescendo.

The central character Nicholas Elliott is wonderful. He is "the spy among friends". The friends are everyone else: the defector Philby, the commoner Ann from MI5, the impetuous yankee Angelton, the arrogants Sir... "More involved than he looks", he is the real spy, with a vision. He puts things in order; everyone learns from him.

The film is not about Philby; but how do you make things move forward, how do you manage a crisis... in british style.

A film about the great world of British espionage, with the imperial spy Elliott.

P. S. It's in small spaces because it's not an action movie. And it's not "in darkness" but in the shadows. Because the focus falls on the characters, it's a battle of intelligences.

I have to say I was initially sceptical given some of the bad reviews until I saw a pattern, most of the negative reviewers hadn't bother to finish it so I persevered and I'm glad I did. This show offers something that's missing from so many TV shows out there - an intelligent story told by actors with real talent. Sure the story jumps back and forth but if you actually pay attention and give it time the rewards are there. All are on fine form especially Damien Lewis who is superb.

If you like intelligent well crafted TV dramas that offer a twisty tale for grown up this might just be for you.

If you want a Mission Impossible style bang fest or a Bond style romp this isn't your thing. If you need a plot recap after every ad break you lack the concentration for this.

But if you want a drama that engages, immerses, and makes you think then this will do the job.

Some reviewers have said it's slow, drab, tedious, the constant changing between timelines is distracting and that Mrs Thomas is an anachronism.

I think they're missing the point.

This is only 20 years after WWII, 20 years after these events government offices looked little different. Anyone who was in the Civil Service during that period will know the details are accurate.

The tension and mistrust between CIA, the Security Service, and SIS that followed the war, Blake, Burgess, and McClean is abundantly clear and so to the extent this hampered both their efforts.

One must also remember that this was only 2 years after the Cuban Missile crisis and the suspicions of East about West and the efforts and paranoia of intelligence and counter intelligence operations is very apparent.

This drama is a mind game that reflects the way that Philby manipulated his friends and acquaintances over decades. The constant reviewing of events by those involved akin to the thoughts of a cuckolded husband as he tries to spot what he has missed. The sense of betrayal almost palpable.

The drabness, the politeness, the ordinariness in stark contrast to the fatal impact of Philby on those he betrayed.

Pearce is exceptional as the idealistic Philby and there is an almost physical change as the realisation of his decisions and the realism of living in the Soviet Bloc hit home.

If he had been born half a century earlier Lewis could have been Elliot in reality. I couldn't make up my mind if he was an exceptional actor, or not acting at all he was that convincing.

And as for Maxwell-Martin, yes, Mrs Thomas was made up. My interpretation was her character aptly contrasted with the old boys club of Philby and Elliot and was created for this purpose. If SIS and the Security Service had had more like Mrs Thomas to challenge the status quo then perhaps the Soviet moles might not have burrowed so far into the establishment.

So stick with it. I thought it well worth a few hours of my time.