Prime Suspect: Inner Circles

Superintendent Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren) is on loan replacing DCI Raymond for a murder case. The victim Denis Carradine lived with his elderly mother. The investigation starts as a robbery with sexual overtones but it gets more and more complicated. The prime suspects start with drug-addicted Sheila Bower and low-life Micky Thomas. Maria Henry runs the nursing home and her daughter Polly Henry (Kelly Reilly) is connected to Micky Thomas who was chased into traffic by the cops and killed. As she digs deeper, Tennison uncovers class divisions, corruption within the local police and government.

This is Helen Mirren on her own. What I mean is that the actors are either not good enough or their characters are not good enough. It's missing a second compelling character either in support or in opposition. None of the villains of the piece are that scary. It's a bunch of weaselly old white people scheming about money. Whenever they gather to talk about the situation, the movie slows down a little. The most compelling support character is probably DS Cromwell but actress Sophie Stanton is still a newbie at that point. It's also an early one for Kelly Reilly. It still has primetime Helen Mirren who keeps the train moving. It's a functional police TV drama.

In this "Prime Suspect" movie, Helen Mirren continues to show why her Jane Tennison is nothing less than one of the greatest characters in the history of television. "Inner Circles", while not one of the better stories in the series, is still worth watching just to see Tennison confront human darkness once again, this time in an upper-class milieu.

This is going to be fairly similarly worded to my review for the previous case 'The Lost Child', mainly because their strengths are exactly the same to each and to the previous three series.

Neither 'Inner Circles' or 'The Lost Child' are as good as the three previous series (though it would have been a Herculean task to do so, considering their sheer brilliance), but high expectations were met if not quite surpassed. Both are very good, terrific even at its best and almost all the elements are spot on. It continues with the changes in format introduced in 'The Lost Child', including Lynda La Plante not being involved and the lengths of the episodes being shorter, for the fourth series it was three cases clocking in around just over five hours overall for 'Prime Suspect IV' rather than one case split into two halves like in the first three 'Prime Suspect' series.

'Inner Circles' sees the changes working even better here now that the format feels a little more settled, being not quite as rushed this time round. My only complaints are the ending, which is rather muddled and tries to cram in too much, and Kelly Reilly, who has her limited acting range and never-looking-comfortable demeanour in an early role both of which improved in 'Above Suspicion'.

However, 'Inner Circles' is stylishly and cleverly filmed, with slick editing and atmospheric lighting, and there is a consistently wonderful atmosphere throughout. It is very gritty, if not quite as dark as 'Prime Suspect III', and effectively claustrophobic. It is very hard to forget the music score too. The scripting, like its predecessor, is some of the best there is of any mystery/detective drama, being superbly constructed and intelligent, plus it is hard to not be impressed by the cunning subtlety of the conflicts.

Story-telling is very compelling and twisty, with an atmosphere that is gritty and harrowing but also intricate and honest. It is a complex story that keeps one guessing right up to the end while also being easy to follow. Tennison's personal life is balanced very well.

Jane Tennison continues to be an interesting character, the character and the depiction of the police force was very ahead of the time back in the 90s and holds much fascination now even if not so novel.

Helen Mirren gives a typically magnificent performance in the lead. The supporting cast are not on the same level as Robert Glenister in 'The Lost Child' as far as 'Prime Suspect IV' goes but still do solidly, with only Reilly not impressing.

Altogether, very good indeed and shows 'Prime Suspect IV' continuing to go strong. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Jane Tennison moves in on DCI Raymond (who is a manipulative jerk) and takes over the case of a man who was found strangled with his pants at his knees. It turns out he was involved in a land deal which is at the center of the whole episode. Along the way, Jane must face both the resistance of those involved and fight to maintain her authority. Raymond is involved with the rich land dealers and turns a deaf ear to any threats against them. There are some sticky wickets (thought I'd throw in a little British expression) along the way involving an affair, an evil drug dealer, a poor kid who stutters, and a naive young woman. People have been paid off or eliminated. Helen Mirren's Jane is relentless in her efforts to get people to talk. The acting is so good and the cases so hard to solve among all the smokescreens that are set up. I've appreciated that the recent offerings are single sittings.

Sometimes it pays to be generous. This part of the series might not be perfect, but who are we to complain when we're already getting so much? A quick glance at the US 'twinkie' counterpart Law & Order reminds us of how grateful we should be.

These are alternately gritty and fancy cases. Some are almost too realistic, others play like Dame Agatha.

But above it all is Helen Mirren. Dench may be the better known of the two right now, and I do like the work Dench does, but no one will ever compare in my book to Helen Mirren. She's just too much. Too sexy, too charismatic, too powerful - she may be years older than me but that doesn't matter: she's still the most attractive woman alive. She's an inspiration to watch. Her every movement whispers 'class'.

The first part of part 4 was directed by John Madden of Shakespeare in Love fame. This is the kind of quality entertainment sent your way. These are not easy, two dimensional comic book stories in the spirit of Dick Wolf; if these aren't real, then it doesn't matter, for they seem real. They're fully three dimensional.

The part we're watching right now is part two of part four. To me it's even better, although everyone says wait for the final third part which is the crowning achievement. I don't care: this one's got me totally wrapped up. The conflicts they put in these things - so subtle, so cunningly portrayed.

A 10 out of 10 may be technically inaccurate, but sometimes it pays to be generous. This is still entertainment, it's still drama, in an age where everything's devolved into Big Brother, American Idol, and more ads than playtime - and with all that goes with it: cheap tricks, garish ways to grab your attention, etc. Prime Suspect works from the radical concept that the show in its entirety should be entertaining. Movie quality on the television screen. Don't miss it. Buy each and every one. There's no way you can lose on this one. And watch Helen Mirren do her stuff. Imagine if you will what she and Sean Connery could do together. Wow.