Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Yes, ya just gotta love that Northern Irish brogue in this earthy London cop, a transplant from Belfast. The DVD set is the first season including the pilot of the series "Murphy's Law" that continued then for several years. Although this Series 1 consists of what is called 5 episodes, each episode is 90-minutes, feature-length, movies, each with it's own cop/mystery/crime story. Only the occasional overlap, & that's due to about 5 main characters. Episodes are thrillers, packed with action, suspense, and each ends with a twist unexpected. The truly spectacular aspect of "Murphy's Law: Series One" is the number of times you end up belly-laughing at comical one-liners, usually being spit out by Murphy, and usually at a moment when he should have been mum. All the ingredients of 5-stars for British Mystery fans.
DS Tommy Murphy (James Nesbitt) is the undercover cop with a haunting past, a rugged body that takes abuse frequently, a mind always a step ahead of the people around him (be they the low-life he's undercover to investigate or other coppers), and he's funny. He has a smart mouth, quick wit that generally opens with a biting comment at just the wrong time, getting himself a fist or other injury, or when he's getting close to a romantic moment, which usually ices all inspiration.
DI Annie Gutherie (Claudia Harrison) plays his boss, beautiful, available--except to Murphy--who tries (bless his heart). Beautiful! That lass.
Carter, another copper, is a regular as is Father McBride, an old friend of Murphy's who tries to help, but usually compounds an ordeal.
Oh yes, and Murphy has a wife, from Belfast, who periodically shows up in the stories, unannounced, unwelcome, and helps dredge up that secret past that Murphy is running away from. I will not be spoiler of the secret here.
Did I tell you how funny this tough street-smart undercover cop can be?
The DVD set has subtitles, but are seldom needed for the accents. Episodes are arranged in a different order than the order originally aired on British TV, BBC, in 2003. It makes no difference because this set is like getting five great suspense packed movies in one set. A value! Bonus includes Nesbitt's bio and filmography. Not a rated DVD, but fights and murder scenes don't spare the blood. You get death, maiming, blackmail, smuggling, drugs, nightclubs, robbery, kidnapping, hangings, fighting, all that regular PG/R stuff, plus comedy.
Since it's not a saga, 5 individual episode reviews are necessary.
MURPHY'S LAW PILOT: Murphy has a past with an undisclosed secret he'd rather forget but a medal came with it. The award seems to have bought him one last chance as an undercover cop. It's drugs, murders, diamonds, undertaking, robbery, racketeering, oriental traffic, and danger compounded. Of course there's a "bad", "beautiful", woman, Annie, with her own secret. Murphy flings funny one-liners around faster than flying bullets.
ELECTRIC BILL: Kate Jennings, London magazine publisher, is kidnapped by infamous 'napper "Electric Bill." Electric Bill is apprehended through a routine traffic stop but denies knowledge of Kate. PI Annie, in charge of the case, puts Murphy into Elec. Bill's cell, undercover as a felon, to discover Kate's secret location. It is serious business. But never can Murphy cut off the "smart mouth" which adds loads of comedy in the midst of dark suspense. That's Murphy's Law--a comedy/crime thriller, every time. Only the DVD viewer is laughing, however.
KISS & TELL: An arms dealer escapes arrest and stalks Murphy to get even for his undercover part of the near capture. Meanwhile, men are being murdered through a health club connection. Murphy is required to go undercover at the club where rich males and females do more than get healthy. Murphy smiles. Murphy thinks naughty thoughts. Murphy must try getting involved with blonds who might be the killer. Between shower rooms, saunas, pools, and tubs; it's hard to keep a-breast of the clues.
MANIC MUNDAY: Murphy is excited to be assigned undercover bodyguard for his hometown (Belfast)snooker legend, Mickey Munday, while playing in London. Murphy's also excited because Annie is working undercover with him. He really loves undercover with Annie, especially when they must pose as married. Murphy puts a few snickers into a world snooker match even when an Irish terrorist group tires to fix the game. Family ties threaten a bloody end to this pool hall trick. Right on cue, Murphy chalks up another, as always, his way, not the expected approved method.
REUNION: Another east London gang fronting night clubs has a family member shot. Is it revenge? Murphy is working undercover in this gang but needs female help to prevent an all-out street war. Annie joins the undercover gang, working hand-in-hand with Murphy again. Beautiful Annie the bouncer? Another killing raises the danger for the undercover duo. Who is killing who and causing the gangster conflict to escalate? In the midst of the worst, Murphy can yet slip off a wise crack.
According to the internet, there were many more years, and many more episodes of Murphy's Law. It's so good, I sure hope more get converted to DVD for the British TV Mystery, Crime, Suspense, (and even comedy) fans.
The London Evening Standard called it "A thriller with amusing edges."
So true. Recommended with no reservations.
Sorry about the length of this review, no other way to do this set of 5 movies in one box.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Murphy's Law: Series One
A maverick Irish cop takes on the London crime world
Detective Tommy Murphy has nothing left to lose. Guilt-ridden over the death of his young daughter, who was slain by the IRA, he flees to London to work undercover for the Metropolitan Police. Hardheaded, hard-drinking, brash, and brooding, Murphy is down on his luck. But he still has more than a bit of the old Irish charm, flashing quick wit and a roguish grin.
James Nesbitt (Cold Feet, Match Point) is "absolutely brilliant" (The Mirror, U.K.) in a role created especially for him by novelist Colin Bateman (Divorcing Jack). Murphy delves into London\'s criminal underside--drugs, blackmail, murder--assisted by DI Annie Guthrie (Claudia Harrison, The Cat\'s Meow), his sexy, savvy boss.
As seen on BBC America.
BONUS: biography of James Nesbitt.
Click here for more information about Murphy's Law: Series One
0 comments:
Post a Comment