Casual Vacancy 2015

     This film is based on a novel by J.K. Rowling.  She is the writer of the Harry Potter series.  The setting of this series is the English town of Pagford.  Just underneath the surface, Pagford is not what it seems to be.  There is a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey.  Everyone is at war with each other group of people.  The rich are at war with the poor, teenagers with their parents, wives with husbands, teachers with students.  Amid all these battles, Parish Councilman Barry Fairbrother unexpectedly passes away in his early 40’s.  Now there is an empty seat on the Council.  This small item creates the biggest battle the town has experienced.  Passions are running high!!  There are many unexpected revelations and underhanded behaviors.

     I didn’t expect the ending??  There were many times I wanted to hit my television multiple times because of how some of the people act.  Mainly, Terri Weedon because of her drug addition, the way she treats her daughter and her non-parenting of her young son.  Simon Price because of the way he treats his two boys, Andrew and Paul plus his wife Ruth.  Howard and Shirley Mollison think they are running the community and teenager Miles Mollison isn’t anything to write home about!!  3* (This series is OK)      

180 min, Drama, TV Mini-Series, 3 episodes, BBC and HBO production with Rory Kinnear, Emily Bevan, Michael Gambon, Abigail Lawrie, Rufus Jones, Julia McKenzie, Monica Dolan, Keeley Hawes, Keeley Forsyth, Ria Choony, Lolita Chaktrabarti, Menna Trussler, Bryce Sanders, Marie Critchley, Michele Austin, Hetty Baynes, Simon McBurney, Brian Vernel, Simona Brown, Silas Carson, Joe Hurst.

Note:  Imdb 6.6 out of 10, 55% critic 60% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 3.6* out of 5* with 26 reviews, Metacritic 60 out of 100 with 4 critics 5.5 out of 10 with 15 ratings.

Special Note:  Filmed in Northleach, Painswick, Minchinhampton, Stroud, Stonehouse, Bisley; Gloucestershire and Briston, England, UK.