Just watched the DVD. I wanted to weep. This film is dire. Gabriel Byrne spends a lot of time doing nothing but looking moody (okay if you fancy Gabriel, elseways a total void). The plot twists and turns, with any number of loose ends and dead ends. Dead ends make for dead films. The newspaper office scenes are nothing like any newspaper for which I worked in those days - as a business reporter for The Times, as a freelance for the FT, as a part-timer for the Sunday Express: even the layouts are wrong (too much Citizen Kane, or whatever). The civil servants lack the silky touch that Whitehall assassins frequently master so well. The did they, didn't they ending floats in the water, and then sinks without a farewell bubble. I am not surprised it never seems to have made it onto the big screen. Or was it previewed in Bury St. Edmunds?

Gabriel Byrne stars in "Defence of the Realm," a 1985 film also starring Denholm Elliott, Greta Scacchi, Ian Bannen and Robbie Coltrane. Byrne plays Mullen, an aggressive newsman who is responsible for a story leading to the downfall of a Parliament member - he was seen leaving a madam's house, as was a KGB agent. However, he soon learns that there's much more to the story than that and that the man has been set up because he knew to much.This is a very good story with handsome Byrne heading up an excellent cast of foreign faces that will be very familiar to Americans. All of the acting is good, with a standout performance by Denholm Elliott. The beautiful Greta Scacchi, an asset to any production, is totally wasted here, however.What I liked best about this, and many other British films, is that you have to pay attention - first of all, so that your ears can adjust to the sound of not only the accents but also adjust to the way the British allow room tone to mix in with the dialogue, which we're not used to here. It gives the atmosphere a much more realistic flavor.Worth seeing.

A top British politician is pictured leaving the house of a madam where a former KGB agent is seen entering shortly afterwards. The Star runs the story although Dennis Markham denies ever meeting the agent. Acting on an anonymous tip, journalist Nick Mullen exposes that Markham had lied and had indeed meet the agent years earlier. Markham is forced to resign and everyone congratulates Nick on a good story. Everyone expect veteran journalist Vernon, who seems to know more than he lets on. When Vernon dies the day after a mysterious break-in at his flat, Nick investigates Vernon's desk and finds himself delving into secrets that go deeper and higher than he first thinks.The problem with all the free dvds given out with newspapers these days is that the films tend to be somewhat tainted by your views on the paper giving them out. Take this for example. Someone gave it to me after they got it from the Daily Mail. Now, knowing that this film was what the Daily Hate thought its readers would like did somewhat put me off watching it for quite some time. However when I finally did get round to seeing it I found it a reasonably enjoyable thriller. The plot starts with a scene that doesn't make sense out of context (as it is then) before jumping forward to an innocent sex scandal that the tabloids lap up. From here it then builds the story well to the conclusion. None of it is rocket science but it does hold the interest for the duration even if the overall narrative arch didn't come as anything of a surprise to me (which perhaps says something about the level of mistrust and cynicism that we, society, take as the norm now when it comes to politicians). The delivery is generally good as it paces the build well but one big problem I had with the delivery was the terrible, terrible incidental music. No scene is complete without this cheesy "dum-dum-dum" music in the background and the hilarious "sudden" musical chords for very little reason. I know it is a little of the time, but it grates horribly now and it cheapens the delivery.The cast work well enough within the material although nobody really is given the tools to do a great job. Byrne is continually harried and stressed looking across the whole film and looks over his shoulder really convincingly. As such he fits the lead well but it is not a performance that he can be too proud of. Scacchi drifts round the edges but doesn't have much to do at all – I think her scene time was as short as her character was underdeveloped; meanwhile Elliott is as reliable as you would expect from him. The rest of the cast features people like Mackay, Coltrane, Bannen and other recognisable faces who all do what is required of them.Overall then a serviceable enough little thriller. Delivery and content have dated a bit and it is not the most gripping thing I've seen but the plot is easy to follow and makes for a well paced build-up if you are looking for a political thriller that doesn't ask a great deal from its audience.

If ever any one was in doubt that democratic governments may not be averse to using the occasional dirty tricks then this film is an eye opener. Based around a busy news paper office this is the story of one mans crusade to make sure a scandal involving a cabinet minister is not pushed under the carpet. The story is full of twists and turns as our intrepid hero gets the bit between his teeth but the powers that be haul in him and judge for yourself the meaning of their words. A must for any one into political thrillers.