So from the first impressions of this film and the trailer that I saw on Netflix it looked like it was going to be a really good film. The storyline was obvious before I even watched it; some rich influential judge has a sick, sadistic side hobby and someone rumbles him for it. It wasn't really that difficult to work out what the story was going to be.
First of all I will say that I thought Hugh Bonneville did a great job playing the sadistic Judge Hector Blake in the film. I've only ever seen him play nice roles and Paddington Bear so it was really interesting watching somebody that is so loved, play such a vile character. He did it really well and with conviction and there were times I genuinely found him to be quite creepy.
Watching the trailer, looking at the promotional materials and also the synopsis from Netflix themselves, it seemed clear to me that Toby was the protagonist in this. A rather unlikable stereotype that seems hellbent on breaking into rich peoples homes, tagging them with "I came by" to show a rise up against the system. When his friend Jameel decides to wash his hands of their ventures due to his partner expecting their first child, Toby continues to carry on and targets an affluent judge who he feels is harbouring some sinister secrets. He wasn't the most likable character, a very hammed up character with an over-the-top accent and attitude, general disregard and ignorance towards his mother and judgement against his friend Jameel for wanting to change his life led him to be quite unlikable.
He continues to carry on and targets Hector Blake's house. However when he breaks in he discovers more than he bargains for and reports him to the police but nothing is sorted or actioned. Hector is very prominent in his line of work and has the police superintendent in his back pocket; making him untouchable. So Toby being a hero, instead of telling anyone else what is happening, decides to go back and rescue somebody that he found hidden in Hectors basement. Just as he's about to become a hero he makes a stupid mistake which lands him at the mercy of Hector and we are left not knowing his fate.
All of a sudden the protagonist switches and it appears that Toby's mum Lizzie takes up the mantle of hero. Again Kelly McDonald does a fantastic job in her role, you can really feel her sadness working as a social worker and helping so many others but yet unable to build a bond or find peace with Toby. You also feel her frustrations she talks deeper into the mystery and finds that there is no help or support for her and nobody is listening. She makes some good headway as the main character and starts to unravel the mystery. She witnesses another young boy into hectors house and then sees him escaping out of the window drugged and takes him back home. It's at this point we understand a little more about Hector and why he targets such a specific demographic. However again nothing happens, the boy doesn't wanna press charges because he is an asylum seeker and nothing is done about it and at this point Lizzie becomes frustrated and completely let down by the police. Hector is aware that he is being watched and leaves breadcrumbs and temptations for Lizzie which she finds all too tempting and after the person she helps escape goes missing, she decides to take matters into her own hands and break into Hectors house. She finds secret USB drive hidden in her sons room which once she breaks into it, reveals all of the evidence of Toby and Jameel being behind the "I came by" movement. She goes to Jameel and asks him for help trying to uncover Hectors wrong doings but Jameel wants no part of it, fearing that becausehe has previous and is black, he will be unfairly treated by the justice system and be locked up away from his newborn son.
Lizzie Decides to tackle it herself and breaks into hectors house but he is aware of this having left breadcrumbs and physically showing very hide the keys and is waiting for her. This was disappointing because she built such a good character, you really got behind her but such a stupid mistake to make and once again she's left at the mercy of Hector and his sadistic tendencies. When she asks about her son, it's revealed that he has been killed cremated and his ashes flushed which disappointed me. I figured the storyline was going to be the mother somehow rescuing her son but to find out that the son was dispatched months prior even though he had been penned as the protagonist in all promotion materials I've read, it felt like a bit of a rubbish end for his character. By this point in the film I then lost interest because that's now two protagonists that have just dropped out of the film and most films tend to have a lead character that you're following and can empathise with.
Personally for me I would've found the film more engaging if Toby had been in the film longer and was trying desperately to work towards uncovering Hector's lies and also developing as a character as well. Toby comes across as very selfish, self-absorbed and ignorant so it would've been really good to see his story arc a little more and his character develop. Even if his mother took up the mantle of protagonist to save him before he was killed or brought his murderer to justice would've been better other than her meeting a very quick and unsatisfying end too.
At this point it's time for Jameel to take up the mantle of protagonist. Having completely walked away from everything going on at the beginning of the film due to wanting to create a better life for his son, he's had nothing to do with anything going on and his only link is knowing Toby and the fact that he highlighted the property right at the beginning when he was working near the property. All too late, Jameel realises not only has he let his friend down but also his friends Mum down; both who have taken him in as family when he's needed it so at the last minute he decides to go on a vigilante crusade and ultimately is the one to bring Hector to justice, delivering into the hands of the police, saving the newest victim who has yet to be dispatched and tagging the property with "I came by". At this point I kind of felt disappointed because two protagonists had already died, there was no real justice for them, and their deaths could've been prevented by simple communication
There were some solid performances on this, I think the storyline was good but the fact that there wasn't a protagonist that you could stick with, it made it very difficult for me to actually get into the film. I presumed the protagonist would be Toby and when he went missing, his mother took up the mantle and held it for nearly half the film only to meet a rather unsatisfying and quick end. Jameel did not have enough screen time for me to really resonate with him as a character so him sweeping in and saving the day too late to save his friends and family just felt like a bit of a rubbish ending.
Overall good film ideas, good performances but ultimately poor story arcs.
First of all I will say that I thought Hugh Bonneville did a great job playing the sadistic Judge Hector Blake in the film. I've only ever seen him play nice roles and Paddington Bear so it was really interesting watching somebody that is so loved, play such a vile character. He did it really well and with conviction and there were times I genuinely found him to be quite creepy.
Watching the trailer, looking at the promotional materials and also the synopsis from Netflix themselves, it seemed clear to me that Toby was the protagonist in this. A rather unlikable stereotype that seems hellbent on breaking into rich peoples homes, tagging them with "I came by" to show a rise up against the system. When his friend Jameel decides to wash his hands of their ventures due to his partner expecting their first child, Toby continues to carry on and targets an affluent judge who he feels is harbouring some sinister secrets. He wasn't the most likable character, a very hammed up character with an over-the-top accent and attitude, general disregard and ignorance towards his mother and judgement against his friend Jameel for wanting to change his life led him to be quite unlikable.
He continues to carry on and targets Hector Blake's house. However when he breaks in he discovers more than he bargains for and reports him to the police but nothing is sorted or actioned. Hector is very prominent in his line of work and has the police superintendent in his back pocket; making him untouchable. So Toby being a hero, instead of telling anyone else what is happening, decides to go back and rescue somebody that he found hidden in Hectors basement. Just as he's about to become a hero he makes a stupid mistake which lands him at the mercy of Hector and we are left not knowing his fate.
All of a sudden the protagonist switches and it appears that Toby's mum Lizzie takes up the mantle of hero. Again Kelly McDonald does a fantastic job in her role, you can really feel her sadness working as a social worker and helping so many others but yet unable to build a bond or find peace with Toby. You also feel her frustrations she talks deeper into the mystery and finds that there is no help or support for her and nobody is listening. She makes some good headway as the main character and starts to unravel the mystery. She witnesses another young boy into hectors house and then sees him escaping out of the window drugged and takes him back home. It's at this point we understand a little more about Hector and why he targets such a specific demographic. However again nothing happens, the boy doesn't wanna press charges because he is an asylum seeker and nothing is done about it and at this point Lizzie becomes frustrated and completely let down by the police. Hector is aware that he is being watched and leaves breadcrumbs and temptations for Lizzie which she finds all too tempting and after the person she helps escape goes missing, she decides to take matters into her own hands and break into Hectors house. She finds secret USB drive hidden in her sons room which once she breaks into it, reveals all of the evidence of Toby and Jameel being behind the "I came by" movement. She goes to Jameel and asks him for help trying to uncover Hectors wrong doings but Jameel wants no part of it, fearing that becausehe has previous and is black, he will be unfairly treated by the justice system and be locked up away from his newborn son.
Lizzie Decides to tackle it herself and breaks into hectors house but he is aware of this having left breadcrumbs and physically showing very hide the keys and is waiting for her. This was disappointing because she built such a good character, you really got behind her but such a stupid mistake to make and once again she's left at the mercy of Hector and his sadistic tendencies. When she asks about her son, it's revealed that he has been killed cremated and his ashes flushed which disappointed me. I figured the storyline was going to be the mother somehow rescuing her son but to find out that the son was dispatched months prior even though he had been penned as the protagonist in all promotion materials I've read, it felt like a bit of a rubbish end for his character. By this point in the film I then lost interest because that's now two protagonists that have just dropped out of the film and most films tend to have a lead character that you're following and can empathise with.
Personally for me I would've found the film more engaging if Toby had been in the film longer and was trying desperately to work towards uncovering Hector's lies and also developing as a character as well. Toby comes across as very selfish, self-absorbed and ignorant so it would've been really good to see his story arc a little more and his character develop. Even if his mother took up the mantle of protagonist to save him before he was killed or brought his murderer to justice would've been better other than her meeting a very quick and unsatisfying end too.
At this point it's time for Jameel to take up the mantle of protagonist. Having completely walked away from everything going on at the beginning of the film due to wanting to create a better life for his son, he's had nothing to do with anything going on and his only link is knowing Toby and the fact that he highlighted the property right at the beginning when he was working near the property. All too late, Jameel realises not only has he let his friend down but also his friends Mum down; both who have taken him in as family when he's needed it so at the last minute he decides to go on a vigilante crusade and ultimately is the one to bring Hector to justice, delivering into the hands of the police, saving the newest victim who has yet to be dispatched and tagging the property with "I came by". At this point I kind of felt disappointed because two protagonists had already died, there was no real justice for them, and their deaths could've been prevented by simple communication
There were some solid performances on this, I think the storyline was good but the fact that there wasn't a protagonist that you could stick with, it made it very difficult for me to actually get into the film. I presumed the protagonist would be Toby and when he went missing, his mother took up the mantle and held it for nearly half the film only to meet a rather unsatisfying and quick end. Jameel did not have enough screen time for me to really resonate with him as a character so him sweeping in and saving the day too late to save his friends and family just felt like a bit of a rubbish ending.
Overall good film ideas, good performances but ultimately poor story arcs.