Red Joan

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ladams888
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Red Joan

#1 Post by ladams888 » Tue Apr 16, 2019 12:06 pm

Saw this in Wimbledon Odeon. Judi Dench plays the present-time elderly Joan arrested for spying over fifty years after the event. Sophie Cookson plays the younger Joan – a naïve and idealistic physics student at Cambridge in the 1930s. It is here that she meets and falls in love with Leo (played by Tom Hughes – Albert in “Victoria”), a Russian activist. She is recruited to work on the nuclear bomb project and is appalled at how much destruction in can inflict, thus becoming a pacifist and at the same time, determined to stop the arms race by letting the Russians have the same Top Secret information that she was working on. It was a short (one and a half hours) and interesting film with a good cast, but it was very slow moving in parts and (for me) never really got off the ground. Very loosely based on a true story. 5/10

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Re: Red Joan

#2 Post by Sparks1066 » Tue Apr 16, 2019 8:32 pm

We also went to see Red Joan yesterday at Finchley Road - agree with ladams888. Wasn't gripping enough for the big screen and would have worked better as a three part short TV series. We were lucky enough to arrive early and grab the lux seats in the middle, Both wife and I didn't find the seats at all comfortable - next time will go for the cheap seats! That said, it's worth seeing 6/10.

Green Book still our favorite movie this year.

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Re: Red Joan

#3 Post by stuartboy » Wed Apr 17, 2019 12:04 am

Very bland. Could have been so much better. A cross between The Bletchley Circle and The Imitation Game, just with any excitement removed. Not even enough meat to be a Tuesday afternoon TV drama. And she wasn't even called Joan! Might as well have been Red Judi!
Last edited by stuartboy on Mon Apr 22, 2019 11:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Red Joan

#4 Post by biggins » Wed Apr 17, 2019 8:15 am

A packed screening at Omni Edinburgh. Long queue waiting to get in when I arrived at 10 minutes to 6 thinking I was early!

A film worth watching but not worth seeing again. Trailers on TV made it seem better. 6/10
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Re: Red Joan

#5 Post by zach » Wed Apr 17, 2019 10:23 am

I saw it on Monday in Glasgow. Cinema was comfortable and well attended.
When I'd first applied for tickets (weeks ago) it showed unavailable but I put my name on waiting list, expecting nothing. Then I received email on day of screening!
As for film, well acted and what shoudl have been a good story. Sound quality was poor - more akin to TV production than big screen. I felt the film was shallow and a bit lame. The most signifiact issues of motivation at the time were glossed over eg desperation from the war, national and international political infighting, US imperialism and Stalin's totalitarian contol. Instead it centred on Joan's personal relationships leading to her actions. A wated opportunity. 5/10

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Re: Red Joan

#6 Post by Bluebell » Wed Apr 17, 2019 12:33 pm

I saw this in Bristol in a packed cinema a couple of days ago. The main characters depicting a little heard of event were well acted and Judi Dench was wonderful as the bewildered elderly Joan.

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Re: Red Joan

#7 Post by Bumsy » Wed Apr 17, 2019 2:06 pm

I saw this in Bristol,I didn't really understand the film until the end ,I found it a bit boring
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Re: Red Joan

#8 Post by brian4spence » Wed Apr 17, 2019 8:01 pm

Good film which I watched at the Omni in Edinburgh. Judi Dench was very impressive.

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Re: Red Joan

#9 Post by Justa » Wed Apr 17, 2019 8:38 pm

It was all right but a little slow, young Joan at times was very wise and brave and the next moment so naive, like she couldn't decide how to be. It was like she was two persons and for me that make hard to believe in her. But I liked the movie enough not to regret the trip to the cinema.

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Re: Red Joan

#10 Post by prettyxcool » Fri Apr 19, 2019 11:35 pm

A really good story inspired by historical events. I was hooked right from the start. Judi Dench is great as usual. Sophie Cookson as the young Joan, torn between love and espionage. I did not find it slow. It was entertaining and enjoyable. 8/10

A very marmite film amongst my friends too!
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