Losing Gemma

Having just sat through 3 hours of Losing Gemma, I am pretty close to losing the will to live. To say this sorry piece of Drama was bad would be like saying St Christopher liked a trip or two. Where do you start, let's begin at the script or should I say where did a script begin. quite simply the worst piece of writing I have ever encountered .The writers must have had at least 95% of there Brain cells removed before the first word had been written. The actors next, well you know the how you feel when you relieve the most embarrassing moment in your life, how you inwardly cringe when you remember every moment of that nightmare! Well this is how the actors will feel when they have to do interviews in the future and probably will pray to God they can ask there agents to leave it off their C.V. when going for new jobs. I could go on, but I will sum up "Losing Gemma" by saying that this drama should be a pre-requisite in all future terrorist interrogations, Just threaten them with having to sit through this will I am sure have those prisoners spilling there guts before the TV is turned on. File under "Movies for Morons"

I have read this book a few times and each time i found it hard to put down because of its utter brilliance!! How disappointed I was when i excitedly sat down to watch it on t.v. I have never seen such a load of rubbish. The acting in it was just terrible, card board cut outs could have done a better job, the characters were all wrong and the story line was completely different to the actual book. What a terrible, terrible mistake they made, sticking to the actual story would have done them the world of good although still the acting would have been poor. What a waste of time watching that was and i strongly advise that if you have read the book DO NOT WATCH THE TV MOVIE!!!!!

The plot is simple enough - two vulnerable girl backpackers, a sensible brunette and a dizzy blonde, find themselves unlikely companions on a trip to India. Part 1 is genuinely unsettling as they get involved with a couple of seemingly friendly strangers who lead them into weird situations and events spiral rapidly out of control with one of the girls ending up on a murder rap. You will feel compelled to watch the second part just to see how they get out of the mess. Part 2 is more 'whodunnit' and amateur detective work and the twist at the end you will probably see coming a mile off but it is a genuinely compelling piece of work. The location shooting is beautifully done (in India of course) and together with the superb acting (especially of the two girl leads) it gives an added sense of realism and believability. This is definitely a cut above the average formula drama thriller you see on TV these days. My only gripe is with the inevitable (or perhaps compulsory) sex scene. When the two lovers(?) finally prise themselves apart after much huffing and puffing the girl is still wearing her bra - highly unlikely in the circumstances, especially in that hot and sultry climate. OK if the young actress doesn't want to expose herself on prime time TV that's fine by me but surely it would have been better to use a different camera angle or just cut the scene short. We all knew what was going to happen. But I'm being picky - watch it and enjoy.

I was looking forward to seeing 'Losing Gemma' as I had read the book a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. However, typical ITV messed it up! Alice Eve, who played Esther, wasn't too bad although her accent veered in and out. The actress playing Gemma was so annoying that if I was on holiday with her, I could quite easily lose her on the first day and never want her back! Jason Flemyng hammed it up as the creepy Zac and Jonas Armstrong was OK in a fairly undemanding role as Gemma's ex-boyfriend Steve.

Esther and Gemma meet in a nightclub through a mutual friend who is supposed to be going to India with Gemma. When the friend breaks her leg and can't travel, Esther steps in to accompany Gemma. The first part was genuinely unsettling as the pair meet Zac and Gemma and are invited on a boat trip with them. Esther is suspicious of the couple, but Gemma, presumably being more naive, doesn't share her suspicions.

All the characters are rather one-dimensional - Esther is whiny, Gemma is loud and annoying, Zac is creepy, Steve is shouty. It is hard to care about Gemma's fate and you can see the twist coming a mile off! I think a screen adaptation of 'Losing Gemma' could make a great TV or film drama, unfortunately, this was not it!

I think people that reviewed this, missed the subtleties of it. Aplit into two parts, Part one conjures up the illusion, drives you up an alley, whereas the second delivers the knockout. You think you're aware of what's happening, and know the facts of the events, but of course there's the twist.

The acting is terrific, Jason Flemyng and Alice Eve stand out, but it's the brilliant performance from Rachel Leskovac that stands out, she was fantastic throughout.

It reminded me a little bit of Carla, with Helen McCrory, out a similar sort of time. I wish these type of dramas, we only seem to get six and eight parters.

I enjoyed it very much. 8/10