Important story; gripping portrayal

Rating: 9/10 (28 August 2006)

This movie kept me on the edge of my seat from go to woh. Not only is it an important story to know about (it's based on real events in our recent history), but it's delivered to the screen with panache.
Those who, like me, feel long since overdosed on screen violence, will be happy with this. Even though he could easily justify a violent portrayal because the horrific events really happened, the director protects the audience from the harshest visuals. Instead the emphasis is much more on the build up of events, and the characters' responses as the drama unfolds.
It left me with the oh so important, but oh so unpleasant understanding that This Could Happen To Me - to you, to us. The way such extreme events crept up on ordinary good people is a precious education for the viewer.
The best thing? Sophie Okonedo. She is nothing less than brilliant. What a classy performance. I sometimes find myself watching actors respond to terrible events thinking, "In real life they would be more upset - they'd be wailing, going out of their mind." Sophie delivers emotional truth in extreme circumstances like no performance I have ever witnessed. Remarkable, unforgettable and incredibly generous.