Category Archives: Murder

2010, 2013, Alcoholism, Arson, Based on a Book, Bloody scenes, Catholic culture, Child abduction and murder, Child Molestation, Complicated, Could Be Hard To Watch, Dark, Detective, Flirting, Grim, Irish Detective Series, Mother-son relations, Murder, Netflix Streaming, Pedophilia, Police Story, Religious Theme, Revenge, Sex Scenes, Suspense, TV Series, Unmarried mother, Use of Irish Brogue, Violent

Jack Taylor (2010)

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From Netflix:

As he faces his own struggles with the bottle, boozy but big-hearted ex-cop Jack Taylor earns a reputation for being a tough-as-nails private investigator who’s not afraid to take on ruthless vigilantes or track down merciless killers.

From Netflix I streamed:

Season 1
The Guards
The Pikemen
The Magdalen Martyrs

Season 2
The Dramatist
Priest
Shot Down

  • Season 3
  • Cross
  • Headstone
  • Purgatory

Kathy and I watched “The Guards” together and decided against watching any more episodes. However, on my own I tried one more episode and was hooked. Not all the episodes are equal in value. “The Guards” introduces us to Jack Taylor as a sloppy drunken former Guard (which means a member of the Irish Guarda, that is to say, the police force). Although episodes refer back to earlier episodes you could conceivably watch selected episodes.

All the episodes are violent, grim, and harsh. Ian Glen does a convincing job as Jack Taylor. You may remember Ian Glen as Jorah Mormont in “Game of Thrones” or Sir Richard Carlisle from “Downton Abbey”.

Riveting but definitely not relaxing. Proceed at your own caution.

1990, Complicated, Conspiracy, Corruption, Imperfect, Lawyers, Mediocre, Murder, Murder Investigation

The Two Jakes (1990)

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From Netflix:

World War II is over, and an older, wiser Jake Gittes still works divorce cases in this sequel to Chinatown. Developer Jake Berman asks Gittes to get proof that Berman’s wife is cheating on him — and wants other things Gittes doesn’t yet know about.

Hopefully you remember “Chinatown” because 16 years later Jack Nicholas is back as one of the Jakes, J.J. ‘Jake’ Gittes, along with Harvey Keitel as the other Jake, Julius ‘Jake’ Berman.

For my money this film is not the classic that “Chinatown” is. Moreover the plot seemed to me to be a bit complicated, if not downright contrived.

If only for the sake of film history you might want to see this film, but there are so many other films calling to you.

2013, Bloody scenes, Child abuse, Clever Plot, Complicated, Could Be Hard To Watch, Crime, Dark, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Dysfunctional Lives, Emotional child abuse, Gloomy, Mental Illness, Murder, Murder Investigation, Netflix Streaming, Physical child abuse, Psychological Drama, Rape, Revenge, Sadism, Sex Scenes, Slow, Stalker, Suicide, Suspense, Violent, Wales, War Veterans, WWII

Hinterland (2013)

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From Netflix:

BBC police detective drama series set in Aberystwyth against the backdrop of mountainous terrain, close-knit villages, and windswept sand dunes of the coastline to the badlands of the hinterland. Starring Richard Harrington as DCI Tom Mathias.

UPDATE: April 2016

Netflix now offers Season 2 with 5 episodes. Below the older review still holds true, especially how slow moving and taciturn the scenes are.  Always start with the beginning episode: although each episode is a self-contained story, there are sub-threads that run through all the episodes which are crucial for appreciating the series.

From Netflix comes this Welsh one-season detective series either as DVDs or streamed. All four episodes are intense and grim. For example, episode 1 involves child abuse. Richard Harrington as DCI Tom Mathias is the silent type: he broods more than he speaks. Photography is beautiful although it depicts Wales as a barren, wild, scenic land. In this respect the mood of the country matches the mood of the characters. Episode 3 was a bit complicated. Spoken language is English and subtitles are available. Acting is superb. Plots are well constructed.

If you can survive the dark atmosphere, DO NOT MISS!

2014, Abduction, Addiction, Bloody scenes, British, British Mystery Series, Could Be Hard To Watch, Crime thriller, Depression, DO NOT MISS, Drug Dealers, Drugs, Dysfunctional Lives, Ethical struggles, Gritty, Kidnapping, Melodrama, Mental Illness, Murder, Murder Investigation, Mystery Film, Netflix Streaming, Not Feel Good, Police Corruption, Police Story, Psychological Drama, Rape, Sociopath, Suicide, Suspense, Thriller, Violent, Wonderful acting

Happy Valley (2014)

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From Netflix:

From the creator of “Last Tango in Halifax” comes this police drama starring Sarah Lancashire (“Coronation Street”) as Yorkshire police sergeant Catherine Cawood, a strong-willed officer coping with the suicide of her daughter and struggling to raise the young son she left behind. When the man she blames for her daughter’s death is paroled, Cawood embarks on a mission to bring him down, unaware that her target is plotting another heinous crime.

Update to initial Season 1 review: Netflix now offers Season 2 of “Unhappy Valley” which continues the story line of Season 1. Season 2 is at least as riveting as Season 1.

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Original Review:

“Happy Valley” is NOT happy. After I tell you what is brutal in this riveting British TV series, I will then try and convince you to watch one of the most spellbinding detective series I have ever watched.

First the ugly news: Years ago the handsome sociopath Tommy Lee Royce raped and drove to suicide the daughter of sergeant Catherine Cawood. He is just out of jail and has joined in with a kidnapping of young Ann Gallagher whom he rapes in captivity. While transporting the kidnapped girl in a van, the kidnappers are approached by a young woman policewoman whom the sociopath runs over and over and over with his automobile. Get the nasty picture? You never see any rape, but you do see some brutal fights.

Now the reasons why you should not miss this drama: Sarah Lancashire is (as the British would say) “positively brilliant” as Catherine Cawood. Here is an incredibly strong woman with a long list of problems. For example, her dead raped daughter had a resulting son whom Catherine raises alone as a grandmother because Catherine’s remarried husband left her when the boy was born. Yes, it does sound like a good old melodrama. But the acting, the complicated personal relations, and the exacting plot details and surprises are well worth the uncomfortable price of admission.

If you can stand the barbarians and their callous behavior, then I feel duty bound to say: DO NOT MISS!

2013, Bloody scenes, Corruption, Detective, Drugs, Erotic Thriller, Father-daughter relations, Irish, Mental Illness, Mostly About Sex, Murder, Netflix Streaming, Nudity, Police Corruption, Police Story, Psychological Thriller, Redemption, Revenge, Serial Killer, Sex Scenes, Stalker, Strange Ending, Suicide, Suspense, TV Series, Use of Irish Brogue, Violent

The Trial (2013)

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From Netflix:

When the Belfast police are stalled in their investigation of a spate of murders, Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson is drafted to investigate. Under her lead, the team uncovers an intricate web of lives entangled by the killings.

These days serial-killer dramas are standard fare and often very similar. Nonetheless some of these presentations are different enough to be of interest. So what makes this one season, 5 episode TV series which I streamed from Netflix worthwhile?

  • Both the police investigation and the ordinary home life of the married-with-kids serial killer develop at the same time. You constantly switch back and forth.
  • Instead of black and white, good and bad, the killer and the cops are humans with their own mixtures of good and bad.
  • Relations between different parties are intricately interwoven.
  • In the psychological makeup of the killer is an element of remorse and a desire for normalcy.
  • Gillian Anderson (of “X-Files” fame) is as good a stone-faced actor as she is beautiful
  • Jamei Dornan, the killer, deserves to be better known.
  • Be on the lookout for Archie Panjabi (Reed Smith in “The Fall”) who is the clever and mysterious woman Kalinda Sharma in “The Good Wife”.
  • Just as interesting as the main thread, are some secondary themes.

Tell me what you think of the ending. Since I was glued to the screen, I can only heartily recommend this TV series.

2013, Abduction, B-movie, Car Chase, Child abduction and murder, Complicated, Conspiracy, Crime, Mediocre, Murder, Not Recommended, Revenge, Torture, Violent

Collision (2013)

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From Netflix;

On their honeymoon in Morocco, Scott and Taylor Dolan set off on a day trip through the Sahara. When something goes terribly wrong, the couple find themselves stranded in the middle of the remote desert with no way home.

Put about a dozen disparate characters at a crash site in the desert. Learn their secrets one by one. Watch almost everyone of them die or go to prison or get away with murder. Endure a lot of violence and not terribly good lines.

Can you say “Skip this one”?

Australian, Complicated, Crime thriller, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Drug Dealers, Ethical struggles, Greed, Marital Infidelity, Murder, Plot Twist, Revenge, Small gem of a film, Suspense, Thriller, Trains, Violent

Swerve (2011)

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From Netflix:

This Australian outback thriller brings together the classic film noir ingredients when a man’s cross-country drive is diverted by car trouble. Soon after, he witnesses a spectacular car crash that includes one survivor and a money-stuffed suitcase.

By accident I found this Australian gem that just never lets go.

None of the actors are familiar to me, but all are excellent, especially the trio:

  • David Lyons as Colin. Colin arrives on scene with car trouble, the mere beginning of his troubles. Colin is an honest man accidentally up against the rest of the trio.
  • Emma Booth as Jina is unhappily married to the local sheriff.
  • Jason Clarke as Frank the sheriff is a jealous man with a vicious, homicidal temper.

We are NOT talking about a love triangle. Colin honestly returns the suitcase of money to the sheriff which is when Colin’s troubles really begin. Proceed from there through drug dealers, fighting, murder, bodies dumped in a mine, deception, and a satisfying final set of clever plot twists.

Don’t miss this lucky find!