Entertainment For Lively Minds
Mo
I saw Mo last night, starring Julie Walters as the late Mo Mowlam, and I just can't stop thinking about it.
Walters' performance was fantastic, especially given that she looks nothing like Mowlam; she managed to portray her as a foul-mouthed, highly-skilled negotiator who naively belived that Blair was her mate, even when he was taking all the credit. The supporting cast were great too, particularly given that they were playing familiar faces - the guy playing Mandelson (I think he was once a dealer in Lock Stock...) looked as though he was having a fine time, practically leaving a slime trail as he moved about Westminster. Possibly best of all was Mowlam's husband, who managed to convey so much with just the odd glance.
Despite such wonderful performances, I found it slightly discomfiting watching a depiction of someone who had only recently passed away. Was it appropriate to see her final days played out so realistically? What would her family make of it?
Any other Word-ites catch this?
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I thought it was very well done
It was only the last 10 minutes or so where I felt it lost it's way - particulalry Adam Ingram's bedside soliloquy. Did Blair muscle in to take the credit for the peace process or did he do the one thing that Mo couldn't which was deliver the Protestant's and Trimble whilst keeping Paisley on the sidelines? I liked the way both perspectives were given. By not casting anyone as Blair the issue of why he acted as he did (both over the Good Friday Agreement and subsequently in replacing her as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland) was neatly set aside. The programe took a similar open stance on her leadership prospects - Kilfoyle and her husband telling her it was the obvious thing to do, but Ingram telling her the opposite.
Was it too soon to show? I don't think so. Her husband died last year which may have made it possible to screen so quickly. Can't imagine Peter Mandelson enjoyed it.
They did specify it was a DRAMA based on facts
so don't know how accurate it was, but I thought it very good, JW fantastic, the whole thing stirring my mind and heart a lot. I hugged my wife even more than usual afterwards.
It was fine compared to
most biopics (and there does seem to be a surfeit these days), but I cannot for the life of me comprehend why they chose to film the Redcar sequence in Bangor, particularly when there's a perfectly good Redcar already available for location shooting at the end of the A1. What was that about? Bangor looks nothing like Redcar anyway.
Maybe Redcar weren't willing?
I think where you film often depends on the goodwill of the location concerned
Was very impressed with the
Was very impressed with the phyisical likenesses and subtleties of the clothing - Michael Stone and Johnny Adair in the Maze, especially.
But some of the mannerisms were incredible, especially Mo's slight lisp. JW just takes your breath away sometimes.
Stephen Mackintosh was Mandelson, by the way.
Enjoyable
Trimble was grumpier than I had thought but well cast and yes, Mandy and Stone were also well cast.
Only neg was that I felt the setting of the negotiations were a bit lame. It looked like it was filmed in a sixth form college and I can't imagine Adams & McGuinness and the Unionists were in rooms with barely a desk or any technology and just down the corridor from each other. JW was immense, as ever.