The Little Drummer Girl

I read the favorable reviews along with the not so stellar " watching paint dry" reviews, and I think the difference is this: It is a tad slow at times, but it has to be to give you all the background on everyone and tell the story of why Khalil became how he is. Some people aren't cut out for the story unfolding slowly, with bits of backstory mixed in to fill in the pieces. It's a good story with lots of moving parts and background information that doesn't deserve the bad reviews from people too lazy to get involved in a good plot. If you like espionage type movies with mystery and some romance, and don't mind using your brain while watching, then this is for you. If you don't like involved, deep multifaceted plots then this isn't the show for you.

This adaptation of one of John le Carre's long espionage novels is fantastic. It unravels several stores very slowly and in great detail, which you can only appreciate if a.) you've read the novel, or b.) you are watching the film for the second time. It is subtle and convoluted, but some of us love subtle and convoluted.

Beautiful cinematography, great script, top-notch acting, super story-telling. But you REALLY have to be patient and work for this one. In other words, just like the novels of Le Carre. Or the symphonies of Mahler.

So read the book first, or at least a summary of the extremely twisty plot, and then binge watch the whole thing over a snowy weekend when you weren't going anywhere anyway.

This six part adaptation of John Le Carré's novel of the same title opens in late 1970s West Germany as a bomb explodes in the home of an Israeli diplomat. The Israeli secret service are determined to put a stop to the attacks, which they believe are being orchestrated by a particular Palestinian terrorist. To this end a small team works to identify somebody they can put undercover in the terrorist's organisation. They select Charlie Ross, an English actress with radical left-wing associations. She is approached and ultimately recruited but can they trust her not to side with the terrorists she is meant to be infiltrating when even she doesn't know which side she will back in the end.

People expecting the style of the recent BBC adaption of 'The Night Manager' might be a little disappointed but anybody wanting a gripping drama that really captures the feel of the era should love this. South Korean Director Park Chan-wook, best known fairly extreme films like 'Oldboy' and 'Sympathy for Mister Vengeance', shows he can do restraint as we are gradually introduced to the protagonists and watch Charlie being recruited; this is not a rapid procedure. The deeper she gets the more the tension rises; approaching the final episode I had no idea how it would end for Charlie. The cast is good; especially Florence Pugh who excels as Charlie. Overall I'd say this series is well worth the effort; I really enjoyed it.

I read the book and saw the Diane Keaton film about100 years ago, so I can't vouch for the fidelity of this TV series to the novel. And, while I don't remember much about the film, I did look at its trailer on Amazon.com. Keaton's done some fine work, but, based on the trailer, her performance in the movie was over-the-top-and-down-the-other-side.

Some reviewers on this site have complained that this production was boring - like watching paint dry. Well, that's LeCarre. I'm not talking film adaptations, since a two hour adaptation has to compress a lot of activity into a short time. "The Little Drummer Girl," in six parts, every bit the equal of the Alec Guinness/Ian Richardson production of "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy." Nuanced, thoughtful, well acted.

I recently saw Florence Pugh in "Outlaw King," about Robert the Bruce. It was a small part, and she did not have much of a chance to shine. But as Charly, she proved herself a fine actress. And, while all of the rest of the cast was good, Michael Shannon gave a wonderfully shaded performance, quite unlike in "The Shape of Water."

LeCarre rarely writes any character as a hero. These are complex characters who deserve a viewer's patience, which will be rewarded throughout.

It's a convoluted John le Carré spy drama set in 1979 in England, Germany, Lebanon, and Israel. It follows a Mossad supervisor, Martin Kurtz (Michael Shannon), and his agents who are trying to catch a Palestinian master bomb-maker, Khalil (Charif Ghattas). Other team members are Gadi Becker/Joseph (Alexander Skarsgard), Shimon Litvak (Michael Moshonov), Rachel (Simona Brown), and Rose (Kate Sumpter). They co-opt a radical young English actress, Charlie Ross (Florence Pugh), into their plot.

First, the Israeli team pursues Khalil's younger brother, Michel/Salim (Amir Khoury). They set up a complex ruse after capturing Michel, having Charlie pose as Michel's lover in hopes of infiltrating the terrorist organization. In true John le Carré fashion, the story includes considerable ethical ambiguity and questions about everyone's motives and ultimate loyalties.

This mini-series is far superior to the 1984 movie that stars Diane Keaton. The mini-series is much more nuanced, and Florence Pugh is more age-appropriate for Charlie's role. Michael Shannon is also a superior Martin Kurtz character. The mini-series also allowed the development of some key characters like Khalil's sister, Fatmeh (Lubna Azabal). The mini-series does take some liberties that deviate from the book, including a sanitized ending. The 1984 film was more accurate on that score.

I think John le Carré would have approved this series.