Passer By

Average mini-series based on the pretty obvious premise that if you fail to testify properly against a rapist in court, you'll feel guilty. Well acted and well meaning, but the script is bargain basement at times, and the attempt to parallel the father's story with his son being bullied at school is fairly lame. You get the feeling that the writer hit upon a really good idea for a programme (which it is), used up his best ideas in the first 20 or 30 minutes, then tried hard to stretch the protagonist's family problems to fit two episodes. Worth a watch if you like James Nesbitt, who (post-Cold Feet) seems to be carving a solid career out of performing well in mediocre scripts.

Almost everyone seems to believe that society is falling apart, and we all have our scapegoats to blame for this. But how many of us look at our own actions, or inaction, as a cause.

Joe Keyes is a an ordinary guy, your typical Mr. Average, who on seeing a nasty scene, with the potential for it to escalate very badly, walks away. On learning of the consequences he has to deal with his conscience & his relationship with his fellow human beings. His inaction is mirrored in his relationship with his family.

If you are of the belief that passing strangers are not human beings then this film is not for you. If you are a cold hearted bastard who couldn't care less about others then you will be bored by this film. For the rest of us this should be watched and thought about. For my part, I believe the 'broken windows' monologue is brilliant.

I'm not normally a great fan of James Nesbitt as his characters can be a bit OTT but this he gives gives a solid and believable performance. The script is very good and the support actors give a more than adequate performance.

James Nesbitt (of Cold Feet fame) stars in this excellent 2-part drama about Joe Keyes, a promement member of the NHS that happens to walk into the situation everyone dreads. He's on a train, on his way back from work. In his carriage are an attractive young woman and two partially-drunk youths. The conversation between the youths and the woman starts on a friendly note but gradually turns nasty until the youths make their sexual intentions clear. Keyes quietly observes the situation until the train arrives at his stop. As he gets off, the woman asks him to stay in case anything happens. He refuses. When he finds that the woman was later raped on that train, he begins eating himself up with guilt. This leads him to appeal as a witness.

The programme is directed at all of us that have ever stood by and done nothing when we see someone in trouble. Nesbitt is brilliant as usual in his quest for redemption and forgiveness. Its your loss if you missed it.

This is a film that I cant get out of my mind.

I was flicking through BBC Prime the other night and happened to come across the scene shot on a train with the two lads and girl. I still don't know how far into the movie I had come into, but I was already completely riveted to the screen.

I especially felt that the 'train scenes' showing the escalating 'banter' between the lads and the girl were incredibly realistic. I'm ashamed to say, I was almost surprised to find the writer and director were men! As a woman who has travelled alone and is very wary of 'reading the signs', I completely relate to these experiences, as most women can.

I've also been in both situations i.e. harassed on a train in London, (although fortunately things didn't end up as bad as in the film) and I've ALSO been in James Nesbitt's character's situation, and seen a woman on the commuter 'night train' violently assaulted in front of my eyes. Maybe this is why these scenes, in particular, made such an impact on me.

When I watched the lads' jokey nature change from flirty to threatening, I actually felt nauseous! I also nearly smashed the TV screen shouting at James Nesbitt's character to "DO SOMETHING!!"

For me, any movie that makes you think or feel strongly is good. I especially thought it interesting to show that we all have an image of ourselves which we like to present; however it's often how we would LIKE to be seen by others, rather than the reality of who we are.

Anyhow, I should probably admit now that I missed the last half an hour of this film as my BBC Prime feed cut out!! It happened just as the son runs out the house, Joe runs out after him and his wife starts an argument.

So could anyone fill me in!????

I'm hopefully waiting for a good Samaritan to help me out on this! :)

STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs

Joe Keyes (James Nesbitt) is a radiographer at a top London hospital.At the end of another working day,he catches the train home.On his journey,he encounters two strangers,Ruddock (Bryan Dick) and Tinley (Joe Armstrong) who appear to have had too much to drink and are hassling a young woman named Alice (Emily Bruni).When his stop arrives,Joe convinces himself that they are just being a little drunk and merry,even though he is sub consciously aware this could very well not be the case,and gets off.The next day,he returns to the train station and learns that a young woman was raped the other night and that police are now appealing for witnesses.Wracked with guilt with the repurcussions of his cowardly actions,Joe finds his home life falling apart with relationships being tested with his wife Helen (Siobhan Finneran) and young son Reece (Benjamin Smith) who is suffering at the hands of school bullies.

This film presents a concept that any one of us could identify with and which ultimately makes it all the more intriguing.It forces us to examine traits within our own character and highlights the importance of how much we must depend on each other.Following on from his work in the excellent Wall of Silence,James Nesbitt is here given a very well written part as the central protagonist,with the script throwing up numourous instances that show how his dismissive attitude fits in to his everyday life as well as how he behaved on the train,when he loses his nerve again at another crucial point in the film and throws in the full emotional turmoil as he begins to doubt his own character and form a dismally low opinion of himself.We see him force himself to build up courage within himself to lay his own demons to rest and make him (and possibly the people he feels he is losing the respect of) believe in himself again.The supporting cast are on top form too,Finneran forcefully compelling as the disappointed but loyal and supporting wife,Bruni a very engaging character who's too assertive and mentally strong to allow herself to be classed as a victim,and Smith,a very young actor,forming a strong impression of himself,with his quietly riveting performance here and his previous portrayal of the obnoxious Damien in Only Fools and Horses.

Overall,this is a very inspired concept and strong work for the BBC to present.It truly peers deep in to the bowels of any of our souls and forces us to ask ourselves:what would you do?****