I feel that James Woods' adaptation and Guillem Morales' direction of actors renders Evelyn Waugh broader than he might have been; I sense (from reading a little of the opening) that in William Boyd's hands, the material would have been darker and less farcical.
Jack Whitehall is fine in lead role, Stephen Graham good as suspicious criminal character. The overplaying starts to make itself felt with Douglas Hodge, David Suchet, Vincent Franklin. With Oscar Kennedy (good as the son), Eva Longoria, Matthew Beard, Steve Speirs.
The music's too solemn, also.
Episode in prison with decapitating man could arguably be omitted; ending though in which he's saved (by being 'killed' in an operation) very satisfying.
And why is his former friend now a spy who relishes sending him to prison? I feel we should know.
So overall, a bit of a failure.
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| Couldn't track down the house |
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