I watched this without being aware that it is based on a book. However, I an a fan of Guy Pearce and he played this role with his usual proficiency. The story and plot were solid and engaging, and the faint touches of humour gave a well-rounded polish to a low budget title which holds its own very well. The usual elements of a good thriller plot are there. The pub scenes were probably the best and certainly produced the most chuckles.If there was any complaint, it would probably be that Guy Pearce was too good looking for this role, and I felt that someone moodier and beefier might have done it more justice.

Been watching the Tom Selleck/Jesse Stone detective shows and I recently ran across some reviews of Jack Irish. So I picked up the 2 flicks and watched the 1st movie a couple of days ago.The acting was solid. The dialogue was engaging. The story was intriguing. The cast of characters had quirkiness, depth & believability and it was action packed and includes a topless female reporter!!The accents & colloquialisms & fast moving plot had me pausing a few times to reflect on what was going on. I should pick up on the Ozzie talk after I watch a few more.I liked the 1st Jesse Stone movie a fraction better than the 1st Jack Irish movie, BUT the 1st Jack Irish movie is better than some of the Jesse Stone sequels.Jack Irish is definitely worth watching!!!

I love the Jack Irish novels but I was worried the TV adaptation wouldn't do Peter Temple's writing justice. I was so glad to see my fears were unfounded. The show captured the feel of the book perfectly, from the Fitzroy 'youth club', to Charlie the carpenter, to colourful racing identities and hapless and not so hapless crooks. Loved Guy & Martha's crackling chemistry. Guy's portrayal of Jack was just flawless - a slight sense of tragedy an more than a little darkness but not shutting out the world like some other tortured crime novel protagonists. There's a real sense of the Australian male: somewhat stoic, no-nonsense, capable, not beholden to rules but not rebellious for the sake of it, with a good dose of humour thrown in. What's not to love? It doesn't hurt that Guy is getting more sexy as the years go by. More than any other book I've read, Peter Temple's writing seems to capture the mood or feeling of Melbourne perfectly and I was so happy to find the same sense of place in this production. I can't wait to see more and will. Be re-watching this. This is such great television.

From the people behind Rake, Jack Irish is the latest TV movie from Andrew Knight from Rake and SeaChange fame.Guy Peirce is fantastic as Jack Irish.This would be one of the few series i would recommend to non aussies.if you like shows like rake, seachange and spooks as well as the edge of darkness.Such a great story, full of great characters, fantastic locations, flawless cinematography and direction.With 1 down and 3 more to go i will be keeping a close eye on Jack Irish's next adventures.10/10