Intelligence officer Johnny Worricker, and possibly sinister neighbour Nancy Pierpan
In a nutshell- Old school espionage, relying on information and intelligence rather than clues garnered from the top secret computer, the password to which was guessed by looking at the penthouse address or super-villain's favourite book. Less adventure-based than current fare and yet more tensely put together.
Starring a cast of extremely talented actors including Bill Nighy, Michael Gambon, Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz, BBC Films have put together a terse, tense and exciting drama in Page Eight. Ahead of the soon to be released Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy film, and as I am currently reading the last in the trilogy of Le Carre's novels based around George Smiley and realising how good that atmosphere is, it was a welcome breath of intelligent, devious spy work rather than the action-based, gritty parkour-fest that the genre has become.
The plot revolves around a single intelligence report, page eight of which indicates highly placed corruption in the British government, and what happens to it after the sudden death of MI5's director general Benedict Baron (Gambon).
The untimely death, after the sensitive nature of the report has been made so clear in a meeting with the wonderfully hard, woman in a man's world outlook Home Secretary (hardbitten Saskia Reeves), is enough to get Worricker (Nighy) to suspect foul play. He goes to the house where Baron died and examines the body in one of the key pivotal scenes, taking the drama back to true espionage roots. There are no close up shots of forensic evidence so heavy-handedly hinting at murder. No smoking gun is found. Just a man who has had an apparent heart-attack setting alarm bells ringing because of the convenience of the timing for certain people.
The document, held aloft by soon to be deceased Director General Benedict Baron
The subplot with Nancy Pierpan (Weisz), whose brother was killed unlawfully in Israel, weaves itself wonderfully into an equal sitting with that of the government report, and Nighy's deft performance trying to work out his conveniently placed, perhaps too coincidental foreign activist neighbour in the scenes they share is excellent, gripping stuff. The red-herring of her possible deliberate move to hunt him out troubles both Warricker and the audience until an unlikely and odd companionship springs up as he turns to her when he needs to disappear.
Worricker exudes confidence placed in experience and age, to the point where the perhaps unlikely Casanova-figure of Nighy actually convinces. He is suave, measured and quiet, and because of this his familial wrongdoings and the complicated life he lives are excusable and accepted as a mere drawback. The power play, pitting a lone, maverick PM against the secret service's lone, steadfast Worricker is identifiable in the current climate, and the biting, sharp dialogue is quick and refreshing.
Have we seen too much of Fiennes' villainous faces recently?
The one thing I would say is that both Nighy and Fiennes, perhaps because of recent over-exposure in so many shows and films or perhaps as a shortcoming on their parts seemed very familiar, not so nuanced and far removed from other recent roles as perhaps they could have been. Would it kill Nighy to maybe put on an accent of some sort every once in a while in a straight drama? Or perhaps try a different hairstyle? Or even something simple like stop just gesturing with/ making use of solely his fore- and middle-finger and use his whole hand?
As for Fiennes, he just reminded me of his mob-boss character Harry in In Bruges acting slightly restrained. A little too malicious and obviously shifty.
On the whole, writer and director David Hare has said he would like to continue with his soft-spoken, jazz-loving intelligence officer in other films if it's received well. I for one would love to see more. Catch it while you can on iPlayer.
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