Category Archives: Drama

2018, Acceptable for teenagers, Based on true facts, Bigamy, British, Divorce, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Family Conflict, Government cover-up, London History, Marital Infidelity, Mother-son relations, PBS Masterpiece Streaming, Personal Betrayal, Plot twists, Religious Theme, War

Mrs. Wilson (2018)

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From IMDB:

After the sudden death of novelist and ex-Secret Intelligence Service man Alexander Wilson, his wife Alison is forced to investigate when mysteries from her husband’s past come knocking.

From PBS Passport (also called PBS Masterpiece Streaming) you can stream the 3 episodes of this Masterpiece drama. Each episode is less than an hour.

Mrs. Wilson is based on the true story of actress Ruth Wilson’s grandmother, Alison, who discovered, upon the sudden death of her husband Alec, that he had another, secret family. … And it’s up to Alison to prevent her family and her world from being torn apart as she unravels them, one at a time.

Ruth Wilson, who plays her grandmother Alison, and Iain Glen, who plays the intriguing Alex Wilson,  are more or less the entire story. Rather than spoil the plot for you, let it suffice to say that Alison spends all three episodes trying to piece together her late husbands “adventures.”

Certainly you have seen Iain Glenn in many different productions. For example he played Jorah Mormont in Game of Thrones.  If you have never watched Ruth Wilson I would recommend your seeing her as Alison Bailey in The Affair  and as the diabolical Alice Morgan in Luther.

DO NOT MISS!

2020, Accidental Death, British, Brother-Sister relations, Complicated, Cooking, Creepy, Dark, Drama, Extramarital Affair, Flashbacks, Ghost story, Good Production Values, Horror, Lesbian Theme, Love Story, Mother-daughter relations, Netflix Streaming, Revenge, Strange Ending, Uncle-Nephew relations, Uncle-Niece relations, Unusual, Unusual ending

The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)

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From Netflix:

A bright-eyed American au pair hopes to make a difference caring for two orphans in a grand English manor. Yet the feeling of dread is undeniable.

From Netflix you can stream 9 episodes of this one season “horror” story. Each episode lasts about 50 minutes.

Probably it is fair to call this series a “horror” story.  But there are no cheap theatrical tricks or ugly monsters.  Almost unfortunately the acting and production details are so good that I was willing to watch the complicated plot to the end.  Little by little the underlying premise and explanation for the strange events are revealed.   But this show is easily one of the strangest I have ever seen and is clearly not for everyone’s tastes.  By way of warning you to avoid spending time here, do NOT expect a happy ending.

If, however, you are determined to watch a well-done “ghost” story, then hopefully you will enjoy it.

2021, Acceptable for teenagers, Addiction, Attempted Suicide, British, Clever Plot, Divorced Mother, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Drugs, Explicit sex, Extramarital Affair, Failing Marriage, Gay theme, Jealousy, Love Triangle, Melodrama, Mental Illness, Murder, Mystery Film, Netflix Streaming, Nudity, Paranormal theme, Plot Twist, Psychiatrists, Psychological Thriller, Surprise Ending, Suspense, Thriller, Unhappy Marriage, Unusual

Behind Her Eyes (2021)

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From Netflix:

A single mother enters a world of twisted mind games when she begins an affair with her psychiatrist boss while secretly befriending his mysterious wife.

From Netflix you can stream the 6 episodes of this British romantic thriller. Each episode lasts about 50 minutes.

Louise is a divorced mother with one child Adam.  David, a psychiatrist, is Louise’s boss and Adele’s husband. Adele is a mysterious  childless stay-at-home housewife.  David and Adele are not happily married. But their relationship is more ominous rather than merely not getting along. David and Louise are having a difficult affair, not the least because Louise has befriended Adele.  Rob is a gay young man who has become Adele’s best friend after Rob and Adele met during their mutual confinement in a mental institution.

If you are not yet intrigued, then throw in a paranormal element (which perfectly suits the plot and is not the least bit hokey) and lots of sex scenes.  Finally, this story has one of the best surprise endings I have ever seen.

If this last paragraph appeals to you, then DO NOT MISS!

2021, Acceptable for teenagers, Archaeologists, Art Treasures, Based on a Book, Based on true facts, Bicycles, British, Buried Treasure, Career Competition, Character Driven, Could Be Sad, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Failing Marriage, Fatal heart problems, Gay theme, Love Story, Mother-son relations, Netflix Streaming, Romance, Sex Scenes, Unhappy Marriage, WWII

The Dig (2021)

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From IMDB:

An archaeologist  embarks on the historically important excavation of Sutton Hoo in 1938.

From Netflix:

On the eve of World War II, a British widow hires a self-taught archaeologist to dig up mysterious formations on her land, leading to a staggering find.

From Netflix you can stream this wonderful 1 hour 52 minute complete film.

Ralph Fiennes (who during the filming was 59 years old) plays Basil Brown the excavator and self-taught archaeologist. Carey Mulligan (who was 36)  plays the wealthy, widowed landowner Edith Pretty.

Actually the film is a homage to Basil Brown who was a humble man with no formal education whose industrious intelligence led him through self-study to become an intuitively clever amateur archaeologist.  In fact a major point of the story is that during his lifetime he was given no credit for having discovered a 6th century Anglo Saxon burial site complete with ship and precious jewelry. Instead the glory was claimed by the “experts” who tried to wrest the project from Basil. But Edith Pretty, who is dying from faulty heart valves damaged by childhood rheumatic fever,  comes to the rescue and champions Basil and his right to complete the project which, after all, is on HER land.  All the artifacts are now in the British Museum where the explanatory signage give full credit to Basil Brown.

Remember this film is NOT a documentary. But rather a drama involving many threads featuring:  Edith’s son and who will care for him when she dies, Edith’s cousin,  a young woman excavator whose uncaring husband turns out to be gay,  Basil’s wife, and others.  World War II also plays a prominent part in the plot.

DO NOT MISS!

2020, Accidental Death, Addiction, Adopted child, Alcoholism, America of the 1960s, Based on a Book, Chess, Could Be Sad, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Drugs, Explicit sexual discussion, Failing Marriage, Fashion, Friendship, Husband leaves wife, Mother-daughter relations, Netflix Streaming, Orphanage, Paris in the 1960s, Redemption, Sexual promiscuity, Unhappy Marriage

The Queen’s Gambit (2020)

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From IMDB:

Orphaned at the tender age of nine, prodigious introvert Beth Harmon discovers and masters the game of chess in 1960s USA. But child stardom comes at a price.

Nine year-old orphan Beth Harmon is quiet, sullen, and by all appearances unremarkable. That is, until she plays her first game of chess. Her senses grow sharper, her thinking clearer, and for the first time in her life she feels herself fully in control. By the age of sixteen, she’s competing for the U.S. Open championship. But as Beth hones her skills on the professional circuit, the stakes get higher, her isolation grows more frightening, and the thought of escape becomes all the more tempting. Based on the book by Walter Tevis.

From Netflix you can stream the 7 episodes of this  remarkable drama. Episodes vary in length from 46 minutes to 67 minutes.

You need not understand anything about chess to appreciate the tension of a chess match and to enjoy this story.  Although there are an awful lot of chess matches and much discussion about the game,  Beth and her personal life remain the center of attention. Watching the obsessive inhabitants of the world of chess can be a revelation. Granted that a person can obsess over just about anything, nonetheless the hold that chess has on some players is remarkable. Indeed that hold is the core of Beth’s ultimate problem: exactly what is her life about?

Anya Taylor-Joy,  the British/Argentine actress who plays Beth, is as perfect for the role as she is beautiful.  When she says “I like clothes”, consider that an understatement.   Where did she get the money for all those clothes?

DO NOT MISS!

 

2017, Acceptable for teenagers, Alzheimer's disease, Amazon Prime, Basically Sad, British, Could Be Hard To Watch, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Flashbacks, Missing Person, Mother-daughter relations, Murder, Mystery Film, PBS Masterpiece Streaming, Police Investigation, Possibly depressing, Wonderful acting

Elizabeth Is Missing (2019)

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From PBS.org:

Returning to television for the first time in nearly three decades, two-time Academy Award®–winner Glenda Jackson stars as a woman desperately trying to solve two mysteries as she declines ever deeper into dementia, in Elizabeth Is Missing, an adaptation of Emma Healey’s acclaimed novel.

From PBS Passport currently you can stream this 1 hour 27 minute film.  Amazon Prime requires that you pay to stream.

Again from PBS.org:

Jackson astounded critics during the UK broadcast of Elizabeth Is Missing in late 2019. “Glenda Jackson shines in this heartrending whodunnit” (The Guardian); “Jackson gave one of the performances of her lifetime” (The Daily Telegraph); “Jackson is remarkable” (The Independent); “a devastatingly real performance” (The Times); “brilliant” (Radio Times).

Glenda Jackson in 2019, when the show first aired, was 83 years old.  She is remembered for her role as Alex Greville in  Sunday Bloody Sunday which was made in 1971 when she was a mere 35 years of age.

Watching   her as Maud Horsham struggle against the onset of Alzheimer’s can be profoundly upsetting.  Some of our friends could not sleep after watching the drama.  “Will this happen to me?”  is a scary question.  Just as real as her studied and accurate performance are the reactions of those who care for her:  her daughter and her grand-daughter.

If you want to see superb acting, DO NOT MISS!

 

2020, Acceptable for teenagers, Alcoholism, Amazon Prime, America of the 1970s, Coming-of-age, Could Be Sad, Drama, Emotional child abuse, Family Conflict, Father-son relations, Gay theme, Good Acting, Homophobia, Mother-son relations, Small Town Atmosphere, Thought provoking

Uncle Frank (2020)

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From IMDB:

In 1973, when Frank Bledsoe and his 18-year-old niece Beth take a road trip from Manhattan to Creekville, South Carolina, for the family patriarch’s funeral, they’re unexpectedly joined by Frank’s lover, Walid.

From Amazon Prime you can stream this 1 hour 34 minute Amazon produced film.

In the American South of 1973 being gay was difficult, to say the least. Frank Bledsoe, a gay man,  has long ago left his southern family in small town Creekville and moved to Manhattan where he could live his life as he wanted. His lover Walid can never return to his native country Saudi Arabia (or risk being beheaded.)

Start by assuming that everyone in Creekville is homophobic.  One of the worst offenders is Frank’s father, Daddy Mac,  whose explicit denunciations helped drive Frank away from home.  When Daddy Mac dies suddenly Frank has some touch decisions: Should he go to the funeral?   Should he out himself?  Should he take Walid?

Frank’s trip back home is interwoven with tragic childhood flashbacks and enlightening discussions with his niece Beth. In addition the stressful situation prompts Frank to return to his former alcohol problem.

Needless to say Frank’s treatment during the funeral is traumatic and cruel. In a very natural way the relatives express their culturally ingrained homophobia, the usual refrain being “You will burn in hell!”

Beautifully acted, thought provoking, and tough to watch.

2004, Abuse of Women, Acceptable for teenagers, Amazon Prime, Athletes, Bisexual theme, Bullying, Divorce, Drama, Failing Marriage, Family Conflict, Father-son relations, Feel Good Not For Children, Friendship, Gay theme, High school students, Husband leaves wife, Marital Infidelity, Mother-son relations, Optimistic, Sensitive treatement of emotions, Small gem of a film, Spousal Abuse, Wife Beating

Jack (2004)

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From IMDB:

Jack (Anton Yelchin) is busy with adolescence when he realizes his parents are divorcing and even worse, his dad is gay. After some bittersweet experiences, Jack learns no family is perfect, but his own is more caring, supportive, and stronger than he knew.

From Amazon Prime:

Fifteen-year-old Jack finds his life turned upside down when his parents divorce and he discovers that his father is gay. When his friend Max reveals his own family troubles, Jack learns to appreciate all that he has – however unconventional and troubling it may be.

From Amazon Prime you can stream this 1 hour 43 minute family drama.

Dad Paul is played by Ron Silver. Mom Anne is played by Stockard Channing.  Jack is played by Anton Yelchin. Max is played by Giacomo Baessato.

Jack is 15 going on 16.  He is a typical kid who is on the varsity high school basketball team.  He and his best buddy Max gaze  shyly and longingly at their female school mates.  At fate would have it, it was only when Jack’s world seems to collapse that he able to befriend Maggie whose own father also turns out to be gay.  When Jack learns that Max’s father physically abuses Max’s mother,  he begins to appreciate his own family.

Despite the theme, this is a feel-good film in which Yelchin’s portrayal of Jack is pitch perfect and endearing.  This film is one of those rare gems that I somehow stumbled on.

 

2020, Acceptable for teenagers, Attempted Murder, British, Drama, Dysfunctional Lives, Extramarital Affair, Failing Marriage, Family Conflict, Husband leaves wife, Jealousy, Male Prostitute for Women, Marital Infidelity, Melodrama, Mother-daughter relations, Mother-son relations, Murder Investigation, PBS Masterpiece Streaming, Sex Scenes, Tragedy, Unhappy Marriage

Flesh and Blood (2020)

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From IMDB:

Lives of three siblings are disrupted when their recently widowed mother declares she’s in love with a new man. Tangled web of secrets, lies, rivalries and betrayals eventually leads to a murder.

From the PBS streaming channel you can stream the 4 episodes of this British Masterpiece Theater soap opera. Each episode lasts about 45 minutes.

Masterpiece Theater on PBS TV just finished doling out an episode per week of this drama. Now that it is over, you can stream all 4 episodes from PBS streaming. By contributing some money to PBS you can get a membership to the streaming source.

From Acorn through Amazon Prime you can also stream Gold Digger which is similar to “Flesh and Blood” in that both dramas are about an older widow falling in love with a new man despite the objections of her grown children. In the former story the new man is much younger. In the latter the new man Mark (played by Stephen Rea who was Alexander Pope in  Counterpart) is closer in age to the widow Vivien (played by Francesca Annis).

Add to the objections from Vivien’s grown children the passive aggressive behavior of Vivien’s longtime neighbor Mary.  Many of the actors have impressive resumés, but Imelda Staunton, who plays the nosy neighbor Mary, is a British classic. Her performance as Vera in  Vera Drake was memorable.  And of course we have seen Sharon Small (who plays Stella) just about everywhere, for example as Dr. Laura Maitland in Murderland.

Unquestionably a tragedy,  each of the characters is in an awful position and no one lives happily ever after.

Until the final fourth episode we never know who is in serious condition in the hospital.  Just to keep guessing is worth the trip.

 

2020, Abduction, Action sequences, Anti-Immigration, Athletes, Bloody scenes, Bullying, Cancer theme, Conspiracy, Contract Killing, Corruption, Crime thriller, Detective, Drama, Fascists, Father-son relations, Forensics, Gangs, Henning Mankell, Immigrants, Jealousy, Lawyers, Murder, Murder Investigation, Netflix Streaming, Police Culture, Police Politics, Race Relations, Racism, Revenge, Romance, Sex Scenes, Soccer, Sociopath, Suspense, Swedish Detective, Upsetting ending, Violent, White Supremecy

Young Wallender (2020)

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From Netflix:

Rookie cop Kurt Wallander stumbles into a hate crime in his own neighborhood. As he hunts the killer, the incident fuels anti-immigration anger.

From Netflix you can stream the 6 episodes of this drama involving crime, gangs, romance, and white supremacists. Each episode lasts about 50 minutes.

Henning Mankell’s “Wallender” novels have been dramatized several times. Swedish and English versions can be streamed from many different sources. His novels take place in the Sweden of the 1970s. “Young Wallender” attempts to portray Kurt Wallender in his first job as a policeman. Instead of the 1970s, the setting is present-day (2020) Sweden. English is the original soundtrack although you can choose from many languages for sound and subtitles, none strangely enough in Swedish.

Appropriate to our era is the fact that the predominant theme of this series is the crusade of white supremacists against immigration. Throw in illegal weapons smuggling, sibling rivalry, disadvantaged blacks forming gangs, and a convincing romance to produce an exciting 6 episodes.

If you Google for “Young Wallander” you will find not only reviews but also debates over the conclusion. Beware of “spoilers.”

Even though the story seems to drag at times, I do not hesitate to strongly recommend this series.