KnotMissPriceless Why so much hype?

Lightdeossk Captivating movie !

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

Curt Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

The Movie Diorama Unfortunately, it does not always work. I find that the medium of film can be used to evoke an emotional connection, provide entertainment or a method of portraying art. Television is focussed on serial dramas with plenty of meat that one film just cannot provide. Shadow Dancer, I believe, would've been better off as a TV drama. An aborted terrorist mission in London leaves a young IRA member with an ultimatum: assist the British government by being an informant or spend life in prison away from her son. The IRA movement is a well documented event that has been depicted in several films. This drama takes the more subtle approach and substitutes guns and rallies for slow burning suspense. It just didn't work for me. It's so realistic that it doesn't provide any entertainment. There are moments where tension rises, particularly when an IRA member is shot and Collette must escape before being discovered as an informant. A nice long tracking shot as she flees the scene through an urban residence. The second act itself is full of sharp dialogue and clean technical direction that I start to become invested in the story. Then the rushed third act arrives and we're back at square one. Andrea Riseborough and Domhnall Gleeson are two of my favourite current actors. They both, yet again, portray emotionally vulnerable and patriotic roles where they are forced into this situation. Clive Owen is the perfect choice for playing an MI5 operative, he is cool, calm and has that cold stern stare to get the answers he wants. Gillian Anderson was wasted potential, again. The narrative was extremely sharp and concise and I think that's where the problem lies. The pacing is so quick that we're unable to connect with these characters and truly feel the tension. Just needs to let scenes simmer and give us an impact. However, for a British/Irish drama there are many elements that work. It's casting is spot on, direction was excellent and the suspense does increase occasionally. It's just not exciting.

sulkat I have to disagree with Ruben Mooijman, who, in his review claims that Shadow Dancer does nothing to add to (or clarify) what we already know about this time period in Ireland, particularly Belfast. I believe this film goes a long way toward further illustrating the confusion and convolution of loyalties experienced by some families living in Northern Ireland at the time. Mooijman has completely ignored an important part of the film (or maybe it just went past him) concerning the fact that the mother of the younger IRA activists featured in the story turns out to have been a long-term "tout" or spy for MI5 (the Brits) and has been since 6 years or so after her own son, Sean, was killed in the crossfire in the '70s (at the beginning of the movie). The current IRA activists to whom I refer are young Gerry - we're never really privy to what has happened to their father, also called Gerry - Connor and Colette, all of whom were there the night their wee brother was sent out for fags for older Gerry, and rushed back into the house, shot in the chest. Later in the film, at the funeral of a fellow member, we can nearly taste the pride and camaraderie shared by the activists as they stand up against the occupiers when they try to bury their fallen friend "as a soldier." I dare say I learned more about the day-to-day life of people caught up in the IRA movement in Shadow Dancer than through any other film I've seen.I was privileged to travel throughout Ireland two years ago (our daughter now has dual British- American citizenship, and resides in Wales, and she arranged and accompanied us throughout our travels). The people of Ireland are wonderful, and most welcoming to Americans, even though many of them are still suffering the after effects of the struggles there (and let's not forget that parts of Ireland are still considered "occupied"). The fact is, some citizens of Ireland continue to feel much the same way as one of the characters in the film who angrily rejected the ceasefire gestures as a sell-out, and some have not been thrilled with the final outcome of the peace agreements. As with people throughout the world, carrying on day-to-day activities while operating within the bounds of ANY government, it often boils down to finally realizing that there are precious few people in one's life (and even in one's immediate family) that a person can really trust.

justincward Clive Owen is an MI5 stooge who instantly turns a Belfast bomb-dropper-offer woman into an informer, in spite of saying, 'This is going to take some time'. And yes, we get it: Belfast in the troubles (which aren't over btw) is as bleak as it gets. Those IRA guys just want everyone to be as miserable as they are, it seems.Now, introduce hundreds of indistinguishable miserable characters without names or any particular reason to exist other than it's a 'political' film, yeah? A few vignettes of IRA funerals and suchlike, just to lighten the mood. Forget to show the heroine for half an hour, and focus on Clive Owen's double chin.Fast forward ninety minutes. Still awake? Suddenly, Clive and his informer kiss. Fast forward thirty more minutes. then she arranges for his car to be booby trapped even though he offered to elope with her, I think. Because her mother's an informer too, and she has to die.You see, those IRA types just can't be anything but miserable.Who wrote this tripe? Is that the Tom Bradby who was ITV's political editor? Stick to news, Tom. If it wasn't you, sorry.

John Raymond Peterson This movie is based on the novel by well known journalist (in the U.K.) Tom Bradby, who also wrote the screenplay. It's a dark thriller that runs a mere 100 minutes, unusually short for the genre; but it still manages to work, without as much of the character and relationship development I would have enjoyed seeing expanded. Bradby has had all the firsthand experience and knowledge on the subject, covering the Northern Ireland goings-on in the 1990's. He skillfully wrote a screenplay that is apolitical, yet retains convincing elements necessary for the movie to be a genuine thriller. The cast was well chosen and the ensemble delivers the goods without reproach.The opening of the movie brings important context to what will follow next in the movie. It 1973 Belfast, during 'The Troubles', we see young Collette witness the tragedy of the times when her younger brother is killed, collateral damage, and how she is moved by the event. Maria Laird who plays young Collette is an actress I look forward to seeing again soon. Then we fast forward to 1993 when Collette, played by Andrea Riseborough, is now an IRA member; she is apprehended when she planted a bomb in the London Underground, but the IRA doesn't know that for sure. Enters Mac, MI 5 agent played by Clyve Owen, who turns Collette informant. Unbeknownst to Mac, Collette's MI 5 mission is to protect a mole they have in the IRA; Kate Fletcher, played by Gillian Anderson, is Mac's superior but she does not share the information about the existence of a mole, which is something he has to dig up himself, if he's to ensure the protection of Collette. The drama then unfolds. The thriller has just one real twist, but it is a startling one at the end.I have to warn audiences about the very poor audio levelling in the movie. You see, there are two very critical and short pieces of dialogue without which it will be virtually impossible to understand the movie's denouement. So if you see the movie on DVD/BlueRay or some other device that has pause and rewind features, you'll be fine; you can play back and jack up the volume for those two moments, and you'll know I'm sure when those are. I never get how sound editors can miss that sort of stuff, that which can kill the viewing enjoyment. I'm very glad I didn't see this movie at the cinema, but on my big screen at home instead.Given the running time of the movie, I was happy enough with the key actors' interpretations of their role, but can't help but think how much better I would have like it if some twenty more minutes could have been added. I hope those weren't just cut out for reasons I don't want to speculate about. Of course, you get that I recommend the movie despite that.