Framed!

For those unfamiliar with Lynda La Plante in particular or with British productions in general, this is not an action-packed thriller with plenty of the shoot-outs and car chases that one comes to expect from Hollywood productions. Certainly, there is some action and there is plenty of suspense, but it is entertainment of a more cerebral nature wherein the viewer watches with an active mind. Indeed, you'll be thinking about the show long after it ends as you try to piece together in your mind just what exactly happened.

Briefly, and without giving anything away, Timothy Dalton splendidly portrays Eddie Myers, a wily criminal who some time ago had grassed on his accomplices in a bank robbery but managed to escape from custody before the trial. Although the money had never been found, a corpse turned up which had been identified as being Myers. The film opens when Larry Jackson (David Morrissey), a young police officer on holiday in Spain, spots someone who he is certain is Myers. Myers is picked up, and having thus feathered his cap, Jackson is given the honour of being Myers' shadow while he is, once again, in custody. And so begin the mind games, for Jackson's task is get into Myers' mind. But is Jackson getting into Myers' mind, or is Myers getting into Jackson's mind? That is the issue, and like watching a cat toying with a mouse, the film moves at a pace that allows the viewer to witness the progress that each character makes (or thinks he makes).

In conclusion, I found this to be a good, solid psycological suspense thriller in which one really didn't know who had the upper hand, who was the winner, and who the loser until the very end. And even then we are not entirely certain. Most British productions benefit from repeated viewings (making them, in my opinion, good value for money), and this one is certainly no exception.

Recommended to fans of British suspense dramas in general, and particularly to fans of PBS's Mystery! series.