Just Ask for Diamond

I remember seeing this film when i was off sick from school and couldn't believe how much I enjoyed it!

It was a classic example of British comedy for family entertainment, with a good story and strong acting. I'm scared that if I watched it again, I wouldn't like it, so I'll leave the fond memories in the past.

I have been a great fan of all Anthony Horowitz books and the Falcon Malteaser was the very first one i read. The afternoon after seeing 'Stormbreaker' i was in the supermarket and found this film on sale for 99p.

I brought it home fully prepared to be disappointed but instead found it to be thoroughly entertaining. Nick is absolutely adorable and streetwise. Tim is dopey without being too over the top (which would have been very easy to do).

Often with book-films the screenwriter gets bogged down with what he is 'supposed' to put in and you often feel the story is thin and stretched, more like an assembly of memorable moments - racing to get through the story. The best thing about Horowitz (and you can see this in stormbreaker too) is that he writes a film that can completely stand alone and doesn't need the novelty of having a book behind it. (something that really comes across in the Harry Potter films) He knows the book and the characters inside out and isn't afraid to break from it a little. (not too much, just at those moments that seem to jar when a writer has stayed 'too true') Anyway. The film is based around two brothers, Herbert and Nick. Their parents have moved away and Herbert is looking after his 13 year old brother alone. Herbert has renamed himself 'Tim Diamond' and is working as a private detective. I don't want to give the story away - but it is engaging and satisfyingly intricate with plenty of enjoyable characters and plot twists.

Definitely worth an hour and a half of your time - silly theme tune and all!

I read the book, and was also quite curious about the film. Nick is indeed quite miscast, as is Boyle, but the rest of the cast is quite good.

I think the trouble with the film is that they hadn't enough money to do the really cool scene in which the hotel gets blown up, and more things are missing..

But an A+ for the effort, it's really cool if you read the book.

After having read the great book by Anthony Horowitz, I was rather curious to see the film. Too bad it wasn't what I expected it to be. A lot of characters were miscast, and I just couldn't be thrilled by the story anymore, because the film was very dull. Many of the jokes in the book don't come out in the film, and the main character was VERY irritating, he was too young and too clever. Don't be bothered to see the movie, it's not worth your time!

Saw this when I was but a wee nipper - and I remember loving it dearly. It never insulted my intelligence, and the plot has momentum.

Would love to see it again now, were it not impossible to find!