The ever-timely Israeli-Palestinian conflict serves as the setting for this eight-part deliberately-paced BBC miniseries that picks up momentum as its complex story unfolds. It takes a bit to warm up to American Maggie Gyllenhaal as Nessa Stein, a British-Israeli woman, but she gradually wins viewer interest as she tries to emerge from the shadow of her father's legacy. Nessa and her brother saw their Israeli arms manufacturer father assassinated before their eyes. Now, nearly three decades later, they head the family foundation, but have shifted its focus to promoting “equality of opportunity” for the Palestinians. “Terror thrives in poverty,” insists Nessa, newly elected to the House of Lords. But as she is chided during a radio interview, “When it comes to the history of the Middle East, it never ends well for idealists, does it?” It certainly doesn't end well for the Palestinian she has chosen to work with instead of a suspect family member; the former meets a suspiciously untimely end. Suffice to say that little here is as it seems and everyone harbors secrets. The Honorable Woman is more John Le Carré than Homeland, but even though it may be more cerebral, the series also has its share of sudden, shocking deaths and sex. The impeccably cast ensemble includes a hangdog Stephen Rea working for MI6, Janet McTeer as his boss, and Eve Best as a duplicitous British Foreign Agent with a connection to Nessa's brother. Extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette. Highly recommended. (D. Liebenson)
The Honorable Woman
BBC, 3 discs, 468 min., not rated, DVD: $34.98 Volume 30, Issue 1
The Honorable Woman
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: