The Game [DVD] [2014]

I only bought this because, (lets get this out of the way), I`ll watch anything featuring Victoria Hamilton, and more importantly because I found out my home city of Brum was used a great deal to create a fictional 1970`s London blighted by power cuts. To begin with I found myself distracted as I recognised many of the locations - the now sadly gone Central Library, Colmore Row, the canals and motorways running through the city, Station Avenue off Hagley Road where scarred ex soldier Philip Denmore lives and Cadleigh Gardens in Harborne, part of a housing estate five minutes walk from my childhood home which is the home of Joe`s father - but the story, acting and tense direction always brought me back into focus. Paul Ritter stands out especially as the troubled Bobby Waterhouse, as does Jonathan Aris`s crack surveillance expert and Sarah Montag`s husband, Alan, but the real star is the Central Library transformed into an open plan MI5 headquarters filled with as much beige furniture as the BBC could find. Will hide away and binge watch again in a couple of years time.

Without repeating the content of other reviews, I have to say that this is a gripping thriller where one never is really quite sure who the Russian spies are. The cinematic brilliantly capture the drab austere feeling of the 1970's - in which everybody has a cigarette on the go, with the paranoia of armageddon and miners strike induced power cuts ever present. The MI5 characters are classically stereotypical and Le Carriéesque, from the very old British class based characters, childish public school type nick names, to the not so closet homosexual. If you like action heroes with lots explosions and guns blazing, then possibly this is not the film for you, however it is exciting and a dammed sight more gripping than the recent incarnation of 'Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy". The film ends with I suspect the possibility of a sequel.

Had this dvd on a shelf for a year and finally watched it. Superb story, superb acting. It was that good that I watched it in one sitting. It got to me in the first five minutes. For fans of espionage and John Le Carre this is as good as it it gets.Highly recommended and worth every penny.

In the beginning it was very edgy and difficult to follow and without giving any spoilers it had me guessing until the end. I found that it was very clever and "dark" but that is what it most compelling. The writing is in the style of John Le Carre and the BBC should be very proud of this production. The entire cast acted well and I congratulate them. Making a film set in the not to distant past is very difficult as you have to be authentic and the box has certainly been ticked there. To get back to the acting standouts for me were Brian Cox, Shaun Dooley and Rachel Stirling and although were not in forefront their scenes were memorable. I shall watch it again and am glad I have it in my collection.

Very prompt delivery from seller - arrived a day before estimated date.I love a Cold War spy thriller so this was straight up my street. Definite nods to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (both tv series and film). as story is very much in the Tinker, Tailor vein: there's a Soviet threat to Western democracy with a mole/traitor at the top if British security service, so you may think not breaking new ground here? True, but actually it's exactly what I was looking for in this and it does it well. What I thought was excellent was how it captured look and feel of Britain in the 1970s, loved that it used the old brutalist Birmgham Central Library as MI5 HQ.

A Cold War plot which could have been written by Le Carré - Utterly brilliant script, score, acting, characterisations, settings, everything - and includes amazing interior and exterior shots using the old Birmingham Central Library before Birmingham City Council outrageously allowed it to be flattened by Property Developers

Cleverly written and well-acted, this spy thriller, set in the 70's, will keep you guessing to the end. Originally a TV series it has a number of episodes. but there is no waste of time, no "padding" as can often be the case with not only TV series but also feature films. If you like complex spy stories, I would recommend this one.

This is a fantastic series and that oozes quality throughout. Pity there is no follow up series. If you like Cold War thrillers, and Le Carre you will absolutely love The Game!