Stephen Tompkinson Movies
Produced and aired in 2006, the final, four-hour installment of the 15-year Granada/WGBH television series Prime Suspect -- entitled Prime Suspect: The Final Act -- nominally continues to follow author Linda La Plante's literary character, Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren), but segues dramatically away from Tennison's casework and toward incidents and developments from her private life. This alteration reshapes Prime Suspect, in its concluding installment, from a detective mystery program centered around hot-button social issues (child molestation, bigotry, gender bias) into more of a domestic drama with an incidental detective subplot. The tale opens with Tennison poised on the edge of retirement, with only a few weeks of work ahead of her. In her off time, she struggles to care for her dying father (Frank Finlay), and battles her own periodic blackouts, brought on by encroaching alcoholism. The central crime plot involves Tennison's attempts to pinpoint those responsible for the sudden death of a pregnant teenage schoolgirl and bring the unsavory characters to swift justice. As she investigates, she comes into increasing contact with the girl's family, and begins to perceive the broken relationship that existed between the victim and her deeply dysfunctional father (Gary Lewis); she also befriends Penny, the best friend of the deceased -- a relationship that imparts her with much-needed insight into the case at hand. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Helen Mirren, Stephen Tompkinson, (more)
- 2002
Previously filmed in 1957, Kingsley Amis' first novel Lucky Jim served as the source for this sprightly and satirical two-hour drama special. Stephen Tompkinson headed the cast as Jim Dixon, a tweedy young lecturer at a provincial British university. While trying to curry favor with his self-enamored boss Neddy Welch (Robert Hardy), Jim also nervously pursued a romance with Christine Callaghan (Keeley Hawes), who happened to be the girlfriend of Welch's snotty son Bernard (Stephen Mangan). At the same time, fellow lecturer Margaret Peel (Helen McCrory), a neurotic with a pronounced suicidal streak, amorously pursued poor Jim all over the campus. In America, Lucky Jim was broadcast February 25, 2002 as part of PBS' Masterpiece Theatre anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2000
In this bizarre satiric comedy, Kath (Toni Collette) is a chef who decides to leave the family business and strike out on her own. Her former lover Ronald (Daniel Craig) does not take this news well -- he's been trying to run the decaying Hotel Splendide, a resort and health spa, just the way his folks did years before, complete with regularly scheduled enemas and food not marred by flavor. After five years, Kath decides that it's time to bury the hatchet and volunteers to come back and work with Ronald at the Hotel, though the place has hardly improved in her absence. Hotel Splendide also features Stephen Tompkinson, Katrin Cartlidge, and Peter Vaughan. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Toni Collette, Daniel Craig, (more)
Economics and music are the twin focal points of this comedy/drama about a community in crisis. The small British town of Grimley has long been dominated by the coal mine where most of the men work, and the town's greatest source of pride is the Grimley Colliery Band, a brass ensemble that's won a number of nationwide competitions. Danny (Pete Postlewaite) is a retired miner in poor health who directs the band; a national championship is coming up, and Danny is determined that Grimley will walk away with a trophy. But many of his musicians have other things on their minds: word has it that the mine may soon close down, and, in a city already suffering an economic downturn, this is just short of a death sentence. Adding to the intrigue is the return of Gloria (Tara Fitzgerald), who used to live in Grimley and is back in town for a while on an assignment. While the band has traditionally been all-male, Danny considers bending the rules to allow Gloria in the band, as she's a fine fluglehorn player, but her presence is bad news for the town: she works for the government and is investigating the feasibility of closing down the mine. Ace trumpeter Andy (Ewan McGregor) also has mixed feelings about Gloria; they were once a couple, and he still has feelings for her, but he's not sure he wants to set himself up for another breakup. The real-life Grimethorpe Colliery Band performs on the soundtrack. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald, (more)
- 1991
Originally aired on the Masterpiece Theatre television series and set in Great Britain towards the end of WW II, this romantic drama chronicles the sacrifices made by a blue-collar woman and her family. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Watt, Phyllis Logan, (more)
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