Excellent

fiona_r_lamb

I loved this. Just finished binge-watching River on Netflix Canada. I watched it as I greatly enjoy British mysteries but also I love Nicola Walker. And, boy, she did not disappoint in this. From the get-go I was hooked. Loved all the characters; the acting from everyone was stellar altho' I do think that Owen Teale was horrible underused (as the Chief of Police). But the way the drama unfolded hooked me and didn't let go until the final credits were rolling. I cried and cried at the end. Just rethinking the last few scenes choke me up and I cannot keep the disco tune I Love to Love out of my head - total earworm.

A few scenes that stood out for me: when River's boss, played by Lesley Manville, gets changed into a frock in the men's washroom as River calmly stands there and listens. I already mentioned the last few scenes in the Chinese restaurant and outside on the road. I literally cried so hard I began to hyperventilate. In the hospital where River's new partner has been treated after being roughed up and his wife comes in and lashes out at River for abandoning her husband when he needed her. River just stands there and lets her anguish wash over him and then the wife asks him to come over for dinner the next week. Just pure brilliance!

The only reason I deducted a point was that I felt it was a little too slow in parts. I realize why it was slow but it did irritate me a tad.

score 9/10

fiona_r_lamb 11 December 2016

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3596783/