Code of Silence review: Well-woven crime series with emotional depth
The most challenging aspect of narrating a story about spies and detectives is not making it redundant or cliched. But Moulton has lived up to smart storytelling by avoiding predictable tropes and stereotypes. At a time when there's an attempt to carve raw, dark characters, 'Code of Silence' has a fresh and unique perspective on the crime narrative. The show strongly focusses on human empathy while dealing with a protagonist who is trying to prove herself to a world devoid of sensitivity.The very essence of long-form storytelling is to keep the audience engaged from the start, till the end. 'Code of Silence' does succeed in retaining the viewers' attention not just with the mystery and thrill, but also the emotional story of Alison. The series does have certain limitations with respect to its pacing, but that does not hamper the soul of the story. Moultoon makes sure not to deviate from the plot by giving equal space to each character.When Alison is introduced in the first episode, one gets a glimpse into the world from her perspective. A society that is so self-consumed that it refuses to listen or pay attention to the people around them. 'Code of Silence' is not just a story of a hearing-impaired undercover surveillance agent, but a metaphorical take on how high-profile jobs have reduced individuals to humans without emotions.An emotional story in the criminal worldEllis and Moulton make sure to depict Alison's silent struggles without any verbal expression of the inner fight, trauma, helplessness and heartbreak. Yet the viewers feel every bit of her pain, when her dreams and hopes are shattered time and again by a selfish society which only uses humans as commodities for their vested interests. Ellis gives a soulful performance which cannot be replicated due to the sincerity of her raw expressions and dialogue delivery. In spite of a talented supporting cast, Ellis stands out for her nuanced artistry.'Code of Silence' is beyond the world of detectives, which gives a humane insight into individuals without making any judgments. From Alison's relationship with her mother to her intimate bond with Liam Barlow (Kieron Moore), there is an element of realism in a storyline that might have been narrated before. Moulton has attempted to balance the police investigation with the motives and emotional arc of each character, including the suspects and criminals.advertisementWatch the trailer here: Human empathy without getting preachyThe show doesn't limit the behaviour and actions of each character to being one-dimensional. Andrew Buchan as DI James Marsh hits the bull's eye with his acting prowess by bringing different shades to one character in the six-episodic series. The human angle in all the characters, including Marsh, is subtly shown, leaving it to the audience's judgement.A few instances in the show, such as the financial struggles of Alison and Julie, are overstretched in the show. The back and forth disappointment faced by Alison due to the distrust of the people around her becomes repetitive at times. However, the emotional journey and resilience of Alison resonates with viewers. The ability and determination of an individual to fight back amid emotional conflict and financial setbacks brings a universal theme to the series.One of the strongest aspects of 'Code of Silence' is the acting brilliance of all the actors on board. Garfielf, Kieron Moore, Charlotte Ritchie, Joe Absolom, Beth Goddard, Andrew Scarborough, Rolf Choutan and John Bishop have done an equally commendable job with their respective characters.advertisementAt a time when most shows are hell-bent towards a pessimistic, almost hopeless depiction of the world, 'Code of Silece' recreates faith in humanity. The way Moulton convincingly presents the scope for criminal reform without getting preachy makes the show standout for its unique storytelling.A bingeworthy series which breaks away from the template of 'Mission Impossible' and 'James Bond 007', while showing grounded detectives.If 'The Family Man' and 'Special Ops' fascinated you, 'Code of Silence' sets a new bar on future detective and spy stories in the Indian digital space as well.A must-watch show interested in stories about spies and detectives with a humane perspective.'Code of Silence' is available for streaming on LionsgatePlay.- Ends4 out of 5 stars to 'Code of Silence'.
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India Today
a day ago
- India Today
Code of Silence review: Well-woven crime series with emotional depth
Alison (Rose Ayling-Ellis) works at a canteen to make ends meet. Beyond their daily struggles, she and her mother, Julie (Fifi Garfield), must also navigate life as hearing-impaired individuals in a ruthless and insensitive goes completely topsy-turvy for Alison and Julie (Fifi Garfield) when the former becomes a part of a covert operation to investigate a suspected heist attempt. Her mastery over British Sign Language (BSL) gives her the shot of a lifetime to not just make money but prove her worth. As Alison gets more involved with the case, she not only unravels the dark world of crime but also the moral compass with which the government authorities and criminals operate. However, Catherine Moulton's 'Code of Silence' is more than just a crime-mystery series. The show makes a sensible and realistic statement on the possibility of criminal reforms and the ability of human resilience regardless of detective show beyond cliches The most challenging aspect of narrating a story about spies and detectives is not making it redundant or cliched. But Moulton has lived up to smart storytelling by avoiding predictable tropes and stereotypes. At a time when there's an attempt to carve raw, dark characters, 'Code of Silence' has a fresh and unique perspective on the crime narrative. The show strongly focusses on human empathy while dealing with a protagonist who is trying to prove herself to a world devoid of very essence of long-form storytelling is to keep the audience engaged from the start, till the end. 'Code of Silence' does succeed in retaining the viewers' attention not just with the mystery and thrill, but also the emotional story of Alison. The series does have certain limitations with respect to its pacing, but that does not hamper the soul of the story. Moultoon makes sure not to deviate from the plot by giving equal space to each Alison is introduced in the first episode, one gets a glimpse into the world from her perspective. A society that is so self-consumed that it refuses to listen or pay attention to the people around them. 'Code of Silence' is not just a story of a hearing-impaired undercover surveillance agent, but a metaphorical take on how high-profile jobs have reduced individuals to humans without emotional story in the criminal worldEllis and Moulton make sure to depict Alison's silent struggles without any verbal expression of the inner fight, trauma, helplessness and heartbreak. Yet the viewers feel every bit of her pain, when her dreams and hopes are shattered time and again by a selfish society which only uses humans as commodities for their vested interests. Ellis gives a soulful performance which cannot be replicated due to the sincerity of her raw expressions and dialogue delivery. In spite of a talented supporting cast, Ellis stands out for her nuanced artistry.'Code of Silence' is beyond the world of detectives, which gives a humane insight into individuals without making any judgments. From Alison's relationship with her mother to her intimate bond with Liam Barlow (Kieron Moore), there is an element of realism in a storyline that might have been narrated before. Moulton has attempted to balance the police investigation with the motives and emotional arc of each character, including the suspects and the trailer here: Human empathy without getting preachyThe show doesn't limit the behaviour and actions of each character to being one-dimensional. Andrew Buchan as DI James Marsh hits the bull's eye with his acting prowess by bringing different shades to one character in the six-episodic series. The human angle in all the characters, including Marsh, is subtly shown, leaving it to the audience's judgement.A few instances in the show, such as the financial struggles of Alison and Julie, are overstretched in the show. The back and forth disappointment faced by Alison due to the distrust of the people around her becomes repetitive at times. However, the emotional journey and resilience of Alison resonates with viewers. The ability and determination of an individual to fight back amid emotional conflict and financial setbacks brings a universal theme to the of the strongest aspects of 'Code of Silence' is the acting brilliance of all the actors on board. Garfielf, Kieron Moore, Charlotte Ritchie, Joe Absolom, Beth Goddard, Andrew Scarborough, Rolf Choutan and John Bishop have done an equally commendable job with their respective a time when most shows are hell-bent towards a pessimistic, almost hopeless depiction of the world, 'Code of Silece' recreates faith in humanity. The way Moulton convincingly presents the scope for criminal reform without getting preachy makes the show standout for its unique storytelling.A bingeworthy series which breaks away from the template of 'Mission Impossible' and 'James Bond 007', while showing grounded 'The Family Man' and 'Special Ops' fascinated you, 'Code of Silence' sets a new bar on future detective and spy stories in the Indian digital space as well.A must-watch show interested in stories about spies and detectives with a humane perspective.'Code of Silence' is available for streaming on LionsgatePlay.- Ends4 out of 5 stars to 'Code of Silence'.
Time of India
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The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
‘The Assassin' series review: Keeley Hawes, Freddie Highmore stumble through a sporadically funny spy thriller
The absolute best thing about Harry and Jack Williams' The Assassin is Greece. The blue-green sea, the brilliant sunshine, the towering cliffs and the marvellous, hardy houses make you want to book the next flight (a cruise would be better) to Crete or Rhodes, and if you are feeling glamorous enough, the blue-and-white skyline of Mykanos. Since, however, one is watching a show for review, one has to firmly put away idyllic Grecian sojourns on sleek yachts belonging to crude millionaires and stare open-mouthed at the screen, wondering if there were flip phones in 1994. The Assassin cannot make up its mind if it is a spoof or should play it straight, so it hedges its bets with wit and bloody violence. At the end of six episodes, we are still not sure of the tone. The distracting plot holes include carrying a dead man's thumb around to open his phone, even though one can change the password in settings after the first time. To be fair, a character does suggest that course of action after taking out the thumb a million times to unlock the phone. Sigh. After the hit in Bulgaria in 1994 in the first episode, which took place in a time when there were flip phones in an alternate universe, the assassin Julie (Keeley Hawes) lives quietly on the prettiest Greek island ever. She is preparing for her journalist son, Edward's (Freddie Highmore) visit. Since the last time she saw him, Edward has turned vegan (there goes the wagyu beef into the bin). The Assassin (English) Creators: Harry and Jack Williams Cast: Keeley Hawes, Freddie Highmore, Gerald Kyd, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Devon Terrell, David Dencik, Alan Dale, Gina Gershon, Jack Davenport, Richard Dormer Season: 1 Episodes: 6 Runtime: 44- 51 minutes Storyline: A retired assassin and her estranged son work together to untangle a gigantic conspiracy Edward has questions about his father, especially since he got a big chunk of money when he turned 30. Julie gets a call from whom she first thinks is her handler, Damien (Richard Dormer), but later figures out he is not, based on the fact that he does not make tasteless comments. There is a shooting at a wedding, and suddenly, Julie, Edward and the local butcher, Luka (Gerald Kyd), swim to a swanky yacht, conveniently moored offshore. A mining baron, Aaron Cross (Alan Dale), owns the yacht and his children, Kayla (Shalom Brune-Franklin) and Ezra (Devon Terrell), are on the yacht when Julie, Luka and Edward crash in. Edward tells his mum he and Kayla are engaged, while Julie reveals that Kayla has the one she was ordered to kill by not-Damien. Kayla takes care of the charitable end of the family business while Ezra, the good times guy, is trying desperately to prove to his father that he is a worthy heir. There are all sorts of plots and sub-plots including brutally killing a former colleague, Sean (Jack Davenport); the permanently trenchcoat wearing Marie (Gina Gershon), who might be Edward's aunt or real mum; Jasper (David Dencik), a fingerless computer nerd trapped in a Libyan prison who might have the dirt on Cross; and a mysterious word, Chantaine, that could either be a fruit spread, a beloved poodle's name or a code word. The action flits from Tirana to London, France to Libya, Athens to Tripoli and Spain, which is all jolly good. While The Assassin is nothing like The Day of the Jackal, it is sporadic fun but mostly a patchy ride — massacring an entire village during a wedding is nothing to laugh at no? The Assassin is currently streaming on BBC Player
