The series made a few ‘best of 2023’ lists, but these BBC shows are hard to find in Canada. Start with the film and watch the series through. They’re incredible for different reasons, but they share the ability to create deep characters quickly.

The film is a single shot. Not ‘the film looks like a single shot’ like that Daredevil fight scene or 1917. This was one go, in an actual restaurant. But it doesn’t feel like a stunt — it thrives in the intensity, and doesn’t let up. It’s chaotic and confusing, and that’s absolutely the point.

This article is worth reading (and mainly spoiler-free).

For [director/cowriter] Barantini, this was never simply a directorial flourish or a marketing hook. “It was to create that extra layer of tension, and give the audience a feeling that they can’t look away, and have them be immersed in this world. When you work in that industry, the moment the doors open to the moment the doors close, it’s one take and you don’t get chance to stop and pause. Time is ticking and everyone’s going in one direction.”

The series came out last year. It’s only four episodes, but somehow packs more impactful storytelling into those 4 as most shows do in twice that. Even weeks after watching it, I think about Hannah Walters as Emily and Stephen McMillan as Jamie, and how details that barely register early in the story turn into major plot anchors later on. It’s a grander story than the film, but they tie together as though it was planned that way from the start.

The trailer contains some spoilers that will not damage your enjoyment of the movie:

The music in the series is fantastic too, and includes old funk and R&B as well as new stuff. Here’s a playlist I made of it based on this helpful website: