Director: John Crowley
Writer: Steven Knight (Screenplay)
Starring: Eric Bana, Rebecca Hall, Jim Broadbent, Julia Stiles, Ciaran Hinds, Riz Ahmend
Plot: A high-profile terrorism case unexpectedly binds together two ex-lovers on the defense team – testing the limits of their loyalties and placing their lives in jeopardy.
Tagline – They see your every move
Runtime: 1 Hour 36 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Verdict: Tidy Thriller
Story: Closed Circuit starts with a terrorist attack in London, with the prime suspect locked away before trial, Attorney General (Broadbent) has promised two trials, one for the murders and one secret trial which can’t be heard by the public. Martin Rose (Bana) is taking on the case after the original lawyer’s suicide, he must work with Devlin (Hinds) and on the secret side of the case Claudia Simmons-Howe (Hall) who has always followed in her father’s footsteps with her career.
While Claudia and Martin did once have a relationship, which could compromise the case, they have agreed to have zero contact, like the law states. When the pair start their own investigations, they both learn that not everything is the truth and must do the right thing to stay out of the cover up themselves.
Thoughts on Closed Circuit
Characters – Martin Rose is a lawyer bought in to defend the terrorist suspect, it looks like an easy case to start with, he must put his personal mistakes behind him, then decide whether to us the truth which would put his own life in danger and even expose the weaknesses behind the British Intelligence agency. Claudia Simmons-Howe is on the secret defence trial, she and Martin did once have an affair, which should compromise their positions in the case, she is willing to try and fight for the truth more than Martin, as she learns about the consequences that come from trying to get to the truth. The Attorney General just wants a quick case that will put the guilty person in jail for the action. Devlin is the man that is allowed to connect the two lawyers, he is always calm and knows his place in the case.
Performances – Eric Bana in the leading role does seem to be putting on an Orlando Bloom accent through the film, which is strange, but otherwise he does well in the leading role, next to Rebecca Hall that is flawless as always. Jim Broadbent and Ciaran Hinds are always a joy to watch, this is no different, with the supporting cast never looking out of place here either.
Story – The story here follows two different defence lawyers that are trying to defend a suspect in a terrorist attack, one for public court, the other for secret court, only for the truth to be a lot more alarming as the investigation puts in a different direction. This story shows how the legal response to a terrorist attack would unfold, where a government will always look for a quick answer instead of admitting their own mistakes. We get plenty of twists and turns along the way, which will give us the truth about everything that has happened.
Crime/Mystery – The crime side of this movie focuses on the aftermath of the terrorist attack, which seems pretty much cut and dry, until the truth is revealed behind everything, showing how some people can use the criminal actions to cover up the truth, which does come with the mystery behind what might have happened and why it unfolded the way it does.
Settings – We use London as the only setting here, we get the attack here, with the cover up nature behind it, showing how a busy city will try to cover up everything.
Scene of the Movie – The secret court case.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The ending.
Final Thoughts – This is a thriller that shows us just how governments will want to cut off the long investigation when it comes from a terrorist attack on a country.
Overall: Impressive thriller.
