Me & Mrs Jones

Russell Baker asked us to suspend our disbelief for "Me & Mrs. Jones". Suspension of disbelief is an important aspect in the observation of drama, but only when it's worth while to allow the appreciation of the drama (There was none; it was perfectly obvious from the beginning how it would end.) or comedy (which consisted mostly of Robson Green squinting thoughtfully and his friend the fund-raiser hyperventilating.) There's nothing really wrong with it as a TV-movie, but there's nothing particularly interesting either.

This movie is not an exercise in deep drama. It's just a fun romantic movie that the actors could probably do standing on their heads.

Liam(Robson Green) is a tabloid journalist who is forced by his boss to find something personally damaging on the new Prime Minister, Laura Bowden(Caroline Goodall) who happens to be a woman. Liam doesn't use his real name. He calls himself Harry Fletcher and he, by using his friend Ivan(Michael Maloney) insinuates himself into the inner sanctum of the Prime Ministers staff. Using charm, he works his way closer and closer to the Prime Minister and eventually gets her alone, by playing to her need for privacy and her loneliness.

Liam's boss, Jane(Keeley Hawes), who happens to be Liam's ex-wife, is ecstatic. But she doesn't know how far Liam has penetrated the staff who Liam's 'source' is. Laura's Chief of Staff, Benedict(Peter Firth) discovers the affair and with the help of his crew: Michelle(Katy Murphy), Ali(Mark Bannerman) and Max(Aisling O'Sullivan) moves desperately to cover up the evidence. After several rendezvous with Laura, Liam discovers a damaging secret that could destroy Laura's political career forever. And it is now that he realizes that he is in love with Laura. Ivan gets hysterical after hearing this news, because he had always teased Liam of being an unprincipled jerk. What will Liam do? Will he print the story or not?

Of course, Laura finds out who Liam really is and they part company. But what is meant to be always finds a way.

This is a light, funny movie. No strenuous brain work needed. Just relax and enjoy, I did.

Robson Green proves once again he's hard to resist - even if you're the British Prime Minister.

In "Me and Mrs. Jones," a reporter, Liam Marple, goes after a hot tabloid-type story on the standing Prime Minister (Caroline Goodall) as she awaits the upcoming election. He does this at the behest of his ex-girlfriend (Keeley Hawes). After forcing a friend to take him to a party, he meets the Prime Minister, they dance, and there's an instant attraction. She is married at this point in name only to Richard Bowden (Philip Quast). The two wind up having an affair, which complicates Liam's plans for a tell-all. She knows him under another name and he's fallen in love with her.

Delightful, sexy story, absolute fantasy, with two attractive leads and a twist that's not really much of a twist at all, 11 years later.

Just watch it and enjoy it for the romance that it is.

"Me and Mrs. Jones" is a warm, quirky, and sexy romantic comedy. It could have been great, a classic, but it's merely good. That's better than bad! Liam Marple (Robson Green), a shiftless, conscience-free, tabloid newspaper hack, meets and falls in love with Laura Bowden, England's troubled female Prime Minister (Caroline Goodall). Their romance is destined, as the PM says, to "end in tears," and the script's twists and turns kept me guessing as to whether the leads would get together or not.

Viewers of Hollywood movies assume right up front that romantic comedy leads end up together, but this is a British movie, and the Brits gave the world boiled beef and soggy vegetables, and they are not afraid to tack a tear jerker ending onto a romance; that's certainly happened in Masterpiece Theater before. So ... you really can't be sure till the final frame what will happen.

Whatever charisma is, Robson Green has it. You can't take your eyes off of him. I can't nail down what it is -- in some shots he looks hideous, while in others, he looks matinée-idol, or romance-novel-cover-model, handsome. He's always compelling.

Some viewers said that the film seemed "unbelievable." I beg to differ. "Me and Mrs. Jones" is worth watching for a scene, early on, where Liam asks Laura to dance. The heat they generate while dancing is remarkable. And neither is much of a dancer. It's entirely believable that any woman with a pulse, finding such powerful chemistry in the arms of a stranger, would take great risks to pursue the relationship.

Caroline Goodall, though, was never believable to me as the Prime Minister. She did not convey power, competence, or passion for a cause. Rather, she appeared afraid, coquettish, or snippy, by turns. She would make a great career woman, but this isn't a career woman; it's a leader of the free world.

Oh, for a performance such as Katherine Hepburn was able to give -- to convey power, passion for a cause, and sexiness, all at the same time. Or Audrey Hepburn, in, for example, "The Nun's Story," or Rosalind Russell, in "His Girl Friday." Too, the script is a bit muddled. Any movie with three separate endings is going on too long and not doing so very gracefully.

For all its imperfections, though, "Me and Mrs. Jones" is worth viewing for romantic comedy fans. The dance scene between Robson Green and Caroline Goodall alone is worth several viewings.

If you have a chance to catch this on Masterpiece Theatre, I strongly recommend it. The leads are attractive and many of the supporting cast are entertainingly quirky. As in an earlier Masterpiece Theatre, "Reckless", Robsen Green is attracted to a married woman. This time the stakes are higher because the woman is the Prime Minister and Green is a reporter trying to get a scoop. Even though Harry Fletcher is such a rogue, you can't help hoping true love will win.