Rent Bodyguard (2018)

Might have been good - Bodyguard review by Ken

Watched the first 20 minutes of the first episode and it was looking promising - dramatic, intriguing, gripping, beautifully shot. Unfortunately there was too much foul language, especially the "F" word. Sad that script writers can't write a gripping drama without descending into gutter language. Sent the disc back.

Gripping Stuff - Bodyguard review by RR

Watched this on TV when it came out and hired Discs 1 and 2 to revisit. Gripped from start to finish on both discs. You are kept guessing throughout and it would be difficult to guess how the end of Disc 2 turned out. Might need to suspend disbelief once or twice but good viewing.

A great central performance & powerful examination of PTSD cannot overcome chemistry & script issues - Bodyguard review by Timmy B

I appreciate with Bodyguard I am late to the party. I remember when it was released on 2018, it became a broadcasting sensation, debuting to massive audience numbers. Alongside this, it solidified Richard Madden as a major star and his performance as a potential James Bond audition. But as much as I admire it's fearlessness in it's representation of PTSD and male vulnerability at a time when this was almost never discussed, I found other elements just did not ring true.

David Budd is an ex-soldier who is secretly battling with horrific PTSD following tours in Iraq. He is now with the police in the Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch of the Met. In the opening episode, we are shown his incredible abilities at remaining calm under the most unbearable pressure, when he helps to talk down a suicide bomber. Following this act of heroism, he is promoted to Principal Protection Officer (PPO) for Julia Montague, an up-and-coming MP/Home Secretary, who is as fiercely ambitious as she is abrasive. Montague is the target of multiple attacks, as well as Budd being drawn into a conspiracy regarding his loyalty and behaviour. The situation is further complicated by Budd and Montague embarking on an illicit affair, becoming a dangerous conflict of interest.

With regards to the writing, massive respect has to be given, as I said in the introduction, to the tackling of David's PTSD in such an unflinching & traumatic way. It is very easy to forget, when living in the world we have today where there is such openness to discussing mental health, that back in 2018, there was an extremely limited amount of media dealing with this. The representation of trauma is upsetting, as you see the contrast between when Budd puts on his body armour and holster, then the broken man who sits alone in a bare flat drinking away his demons when he is off-duty. Madden, who deservedly won many awards for this role, is in his element here.

But apart from some good production values & excellent use of London locations, the rest of the series actually left me relatively "meh." For every powerful moment, there was a large amount of padding, or attempts at rug pulling, not all of which worked. However, my biggest criticism is actually the chemistry between Madden and Hawes. As much as I like her as an actress, I felt that in many ways Hawes was miscast. This was a role that was screaming out for Emily Mortimer, who would have been absolutely perfect in it.

Hawes tries her best and does bring an icy determination to the more skullduggerous parts of Montague, but when it comes to the intimate scenes, it just wasn't particularly believable. Members of the government engaging in debauched affairs is nothing new, but here it is all a little safe.

Another element which I was surprised there wasn't more of was action scenes. This drama was marketed at the time as being as much about the hand-to-hand combat as it was brutal backroom take downs. But the limited amount of action was disappointing. I appreciate that there might not have been the budget to do anything too outrageous, but many other small films and TV shows have managed to have at least one memorable set piece. The closest we get is a car being shot at and doing a handbrake turn into cover.

For many, there is clearly a lot to love. And there are some great supporting turns, especially from seasoned pros like Gina McKee. But as much as there were a few rug pulls, I was expecting a lot more and was quite disappointed when the final credits rolled.