Gallowglass

This is one of the finest mysteries I've ever seen. Edgy, anxiety-ridden from moment to moment, homo-erotic, heterosexual obsession, murder; it's got everything including sensational performances by all. A BBC production, the story reminded me so much of "The Servant", the film adaption of Harold Pinter's story/play where a creeping danger permeated the film throughout. "Gallowglass' however is much more sinister. A young man becomes 'servant' to the man who saved his life. From then on a dark world opens for him from which it's almost impossible to escape. Based on Ruth Rendell's(Barbara Vine) novel, this mystery will have you guessing until the last scene. Wear a coat because this one is going to give you chills.

Based on a novel by Barbara Vine, this is a dark, complex mystery that probes the psyches of various desperate characters as they try to obtain the objects of their obsessions. The twisted, dependent relationship between the main characters, Joe and Sandor, is fascinating, and the actors, Michael Sheen and Paul Rhys, do excellent work. Rhys makes a snobbish yet charming sociopath, while Sheen manages to be both heartbreakingly vulnerable and slightly creepy. The plot has a few good twists, and the film makers manage to make the bright, wide open English countryside seem claustrophobic and ominous, which perfectly fits the mood of the story.

I saw this movie several years ago and visions of it are still haunting. The narrative style, picturesque cinematography and great acting come together seamlessly. The wrenching attempt to recapture a triste love-affair as only the UK can deliver, emotes empathy and aversion simultaneously.

When I watched Gallowglass, I came away thinking, how bonkers it is, that Ruth Rendell's work isn't focused on more so, there are plenty of her titles that are just crying out to be adapted.

It's deep, that's for sure, not a show to put on for a casual evening's viewing, you need to fully engage, concentrate on events. The story is complex, the characters even more so, you could argue it takes time for events to get into motion, but it's worth sticking with, you'll find yourself rewarded for patience.

The acting is superb, and it's the Welsh duo of Michael Sheen and Paul Rhys that particularly stand out, Sheen is fantastic as the subservient Joe, Rhys arguably steals the show as the handsome, dangerous Sandor. There are some great scenes with Nerys Hughes.

Great production values, it's British drama at its very best. 9/10