As much as I tend to be an Anglophile when it comes to all things British in the cinema and on TV, I know that just because the actors have plummy accents it doesn't necessarily make something good. However, I'm glad to discover that BBC America's new series is a welcome exception to that rule.
When a post-modern adaptation of "classic" material such as this is attempted, the filmmakers had better bring something fresh and different to the table, if they expect the project to make an impression beyond the first moment or two. And luckily, "JEKYLL" has a real asset in James Nesbitt's tour-de-force portrayal of Dr. Tom "Jackman", the 'hero' of the piece who is sharing his mind and body grudgingly with the absolutely amoral and insane "Mr. Hyde". Blessedly, Nesbitt chose to take the Spencer Tracy route with this version, relying more on acting ability than cheap prosthetics, (though there are some makeup effects used very sparingly, which makes them that much more gruesome when they appear.)
This take is part-mystery, part-conspiracy thriller and part-psychological drama, which at times hints that it might even be headed into old "X-FILES" territory. It is fascinating to try and second-guess Steven Moffat's excellent script, but just when you think you know where it's going, the plot line swerves in another direction, but not with such unexpectedness or contrivance as to make you want to turn it off and ditch the whole thing. (Too bad I can't say the same thing about "LOST".)
I'm coming up on the last couple of episodes, and I'm hoping that it will be back for another installment, if things don't get wrapped up towards the end. Nesbitt, whose work I've never seen before, is outstanding, and he's backed by a terrific supporting cast, especially a nearly unrecognizable Denis Lawson, whom I only ID'ed thanks to IMDb.
If you haven't been following this on Saturdays on BBC America, be sure to catch it when it becomes available on DVD.
When a post-modern adaptation of "classic" material such as this is attempted, the filmmakers had better bring something fresh and different to the table, if they expect the project to make an impression beyond the first moment or two. And luckily, "JEKYLL" has a real asset in James Nesbitt's tour-de-force portrayal of Dr. Tom "Jackman", the 'hero' of the piece who is sharing his mind and body grudgingly with the absolutely amoral and insane "Mr. Hyde". Blessedly, Nesbitt chose to take the Spencer Tracy route with this version, relying more on acting ability than cheap prosthetics, (though there are some makeup effects used very sparingly, which makes them that much more gruesome when they appear.)
This take is part-mystery, part-conspiracy thriller and part-psychological drama, which at times hints that it might even be headed into old "X-FILES" territory. It is fascinating to try and second-guess Steven Moffat's excellent script, but just when you think you know where it's going, the plot line swerves in another direction, but not with such unexpectedness or contrivance as to make you want to turn it off and ditch the whole thing. (Too bad I can't say the same thing about "LOST".)
I'm coming up on the last couple of episodes, and I'm hoping that it will be back for another installment, if things don't get wrapped up towards the end. Nesbitt, whose work I've never seen before, is outstanding, and he's backed by a terrific supporting cast, especially a nearly unrecognizable Denis Lawson, whom I only ID'ed thanks to IMDb.
If you haven't been following this on Saturdays on BBC America, be sure to catch it when it becomes available on DVD.