Single mother Collette McVeigh (Andrea Riseborough) is arrested for her part in an aborted IRA plot to bomb a London subway and she is given a choice by Mac (Clive Owen)- an MI-5 officer- to spy on her family and the IRA or lose everything and go to prison. Collette decides to reluctantly work for Mac and she returns to Belfast as she worries about being with her son. Meanwhile, Mac finds himself being left out and not being told some information he needs to know to keep his informant safe as he goes head-to-head with one of his superiors (played by Gillian Anderson). The IRA becomes suspicious of Collette as they plot to kill a local police detective.

 

SHADOW DANCER is a tense IRA spy thriller with some great acting and an intelligent script.  It keeps you guessing as you feel for people on both sides. The IRA feels they are right (and some think the peace talks shouldn’t be going on) while the MI-5 plays their own games in the name of national security. I love Clive Owen and Andre Riseborough proves she ahs some acting chops beyond her almost scene stealing performance in OBLIVION while Gillian Anderson gets more beautiful with age as she continues to be a great actress. James Marsh has directed a great adaptation of Tom Bradby's novel (the author also wrote the screenplay). SHADOW DANCER doesn't preach.  It tells a god story with compelling characters and features an ending you won't see coming.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

BEHIND THE SCENES OF SHADOW DANCER have interviews with the cast, director James Marsh, and author Tom Bradby. The cast comment on why they were drawn to the script while the author says this novel is the one he always wanted a movie made out of. This is intermixed with clips and behind-the-scenes footage.

CAST AND CREW INTERVIEWS with Andrea Roseborough, Clive Owen, Gillian Anderson, James Marsh, Tom Bradby, Brid Brennan, and producer Chris Coen which provides some great insight into the production and characters in the film

AXS TV: A LOOK AT SHADOW DANCER is a three minute promo piece

 

Trailers for To the Wonder, No Place on Earth, Hammer of the Gods, and Syrup, plus a 30-second promo for AXS TV

 

FINAL ANALYSIS: SAHDOW DANCER is a tense thriller with great performances and an ending I didn't see coming.

 

This DVD review is (c)8-31-2013 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com

 

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