Amazon.com essential video: Helen Mirren's Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison, the only female DCI on an old boy's club London homicide squad, is like a phantom lurking around the edges of the action while the men rush through their latest murder case, joshing and winking in the kind of male camaraderie the cop genre has celebrated for decades. When DCI Shefford dies of a sudden heart attack, Tennison demands to take over. Despite her superintendent's resistance ("Give her this case and she'll start expecting more."), she becomes the squad's first woman to head a murder investigation. Scrutinized at every moment by her superior officers, Tennison is faced with a case that spirals out from a single murder to a serial spree, a second-in-command who undermines her authority and her investigation at every turn, a team resistant to taking orders from a woman, and a private life unraveling due to her professional diligence. Lynda La Plant's script is a compelling thriller riddled with ambiguity that turns dead ends, blind alleys, and the mundane legwork of real-life cops into fascinating details. Mirren commands the role of Tennison with authority, intelligence, and a touch of overachieving desperation. Superb performances, excellent writing, and understated direction make this BBC miniseries one of the most involving mysteries in years. Look for future British stars Ralph Fiennes and Tom Wilkinson in supporting roles. --Sean Axmaker
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Fight fire with fire...? It does work for her...
OK, let's take a 50-something, not-so-pretty lady. Let's make her a top crime unit detective. Let's make her drink, smoke, sleep with married men, and give hell to her male colleagues and superiors. Finally, ... Read More
Rating: - Prime Suspect
This was the first time I had seen this dvd. I was very impressed with it. I will now start buying the other Sets.
Rating: - Prime Suspect 1
Ordered this for my mom. Shipping was very fast. She loves the series. Have now purchased 1 thru 4-only three more to go!
Rating: - Helen Mirren Rocks
Storytelling at it's finest. Helen Mirren's performance in Prime Suspect was the springboard for Kyra Sedgewick's "Closer" and Holly Hunter's "Saving Grace". The first lady of this genre.
Rating: - Prime Suspect 1
I was very satisfied with the movie there was nothing wrong with it no skips or errors in the movie. It was mailed to me very fast. I was completely satisfied with my whole order.
- Fight fire with fire...? It does work for her...
- Prime Suspect