After having serious doubts about this new BBC Two Mini series, I've completely surprised myself. Peaky Blinders has had me absolutely gripped from the moment I started watching. In fact, I may even watch it again. I don't know if it's the stellar performance of every cast member, or the interesting setting and scenarios - but whatever it is, it's working. I'm won over whole heartedly.
It's focussed on the real-life Birmingham based Shelby family, also a notorious gang of the 1920's known as the 'Peaky blinders' - so called for the razor blades hidden beneath the peaks of their flat caps. Hooked yet?
When a truck load of guns and ammunition go missing, Detective Campbell (Sam Neil, whose Irish accent is phenomenal) is sent to Birmingham, a hotspot for Communists and IRA sympathisers, in an effort to retrieve the stolen weapons. This is bad news for the Shelby's - top dogs in their neighbourhood, with every copper on their payroll. They were once content to be illegal bookmakers, but since the war, they are suddenly finding their fingers in every pie.
There's Thomas Shelby (Murphy), the middle brother, with ambitions for his family, and dangerous schemes to keep them safe and to keep them together. Naturally things don't go his way, and this is only catalysed by his own haunting and emotionally crippling experiences in the trenches - experiences that he carries around constantly.
He is joined by a hardy band of characters; there is brawny Arthur Shelby , the eldest brother, feisty Aunt Polly, mysterious Irish barmaid Grace, wanted Communist Freddie Thorne and of course, our brutal Police Detective, Chester Campbell.
Ultimately this is a story about family, and hard men living in hard times in one of Britain's Industrial centres. 24 hours a day, hammers and smoke.
It makes for very interesting television - but hints at a dangerous era in British history; when political revolution really was on our doorstep, pre-marital pregnancy was social suicide and gang warfare was real, and necessary for survival. As entertaining as it is informative, it leaves a lingering feeling after every episode.
Don't get me wrong, there are moments where it's so ridiculous 'BBC-esq' that I want to punch the writers. Maybe a few too many mentions of 'when we were in France...' and some very stereotypical examples of sexism. But you get over it. Especially when you hear Cillian Murphy's Brummy accent and see his very convincing portrayal of family man and disturbed soldier. I've always been a fan of his, he has a way of interpreting every role he is in that I can't think he is anybody but the person he's meant to be. And yet, there's something so unique about him. Maybe it's those eyes, I'm a sucker for big eyes...
I truly recommend this. It has appeared on our screens quite suddenly and is ending already, so that I worry lots of people will have bypassed it completely! It's honest, and brutal, and very very vivid.
Oh and did I mention that the soundtrack is an amalgamation of pretty much every band Jack White has ever played guitar for? Yeah, this whole thing just got cooler.
Don't miss it!
It's on IPlayer too!
Laurie
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