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A Review Of Anthony Minghella’s Final Directorial Effort: The Movie-Length Pilot For HBO’s NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY!!

Read the first book for class... by Massage...Bored	Mar 25th, 2008 11:46:12 AM
...and its a very entertaining story. Hopefully the humor is handled properly and not Americanized.
A nice effort by Aloy	Mar 25th, 2008 12:07:08 PM
I've read some of the books and the opener really does do them justice. Beautifully shot in Botswana and although maybe not for most of the AICN crowd the actors are all pretty spot on (especially Jill Scott - a lot a woman!). Anika Noni Rose who plays the secretary needs to back off a bit though or her character will get annoying real fast. Loved the scenes shot in the night clubs, this is not at all americanized. I wonder if some of the U.S. viewers will have trouble following the dialogue though as the accents are just heavy enough at times to make you actually give this all your attention. Nice work Mr. Minghella, we'll miss you.
The Guardian thought it kinda sucked: by newc0253	Mar 25th, 2008 12:13:52 PM
they called it 'twee, quaint and shallow' http://tinyurl.com/2psto3
It WAS twee, quaint and shallow... by prbt	Mar 25th, 2008 12:23:43 PM
and also very watchable, and a lot of fun. It's 'comfort telly', and there's nothing wrong with that.
ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..... .... by Ashok0	Mar 25th, 2008 12:32:25 PM
Quality HBO shows = 0 Quality SCIFI shows = 1
It was okay by ChorleyFM	Mar 25th, 2008 12:33:41 PM
Throwaway entertainment, but not much else. Also, despite being a BBC co-production with HBO, it doesn't appear to fit the cable networks more 'challenging' output, but then I suppose neither does Entourage and a couple of other things. It is very lightweight and more appropriate for network TV, at least it would be if it didn't have an all black cast etc. Also to massage..bored, it definitely isn't Americanized, but then you wouldn't expect it to be when it is effectively a British/African production from a British/African source with HBO money.
shame that Mingella went out with 'comfort telly' by newc0253	Mar 25th, 2008 12:48:57 PM
I thought the English Patient was a brilliant adaptation of a great book and Cold Mountain, while not nearly as good, was decent enough. I ain't read the books this was based on, nor did i see it when it was on BBC the other night. But it seems a shame for such a talented director to go out making apparently lightweight fare.
those books are condescending by gobofraggleuk	Mar 25th, 2008 12:55:15 PM
I read the first one and they're written as if the characters are simple-minded children. How quaint, the white readers think... If an African writer had produced them, I'd be less annoyed, but to know that a fat old white man has made his African characters so unsophisticated and two-dimensional and unintelligent-sounding... it grates on my nerves. If he put the same dialogue into the mouths of white characters, nobody would buy it for a second - and it's as much an indictment of the readers as it is of the writer that the books sell so well.
and... by gobofraggleuk	Mar 25th, 2008 12:57:35 PM
yes, I know the writer was born in Africa... when I write 'Africans', I don't mean white colonialists who move to Scotland and write about black Africans as if they are happy retards
First episode: Who stole my yak? by cutest_of_borg	Mar 25th, 2008 01:10:28 PM
And they got rid of Deadwood and Rome for this. Oh, joy.
That's nice, HBO..... by OBSD	Mar 25th, 2008 01:10:31 PM
WHERE'S PREACHER?
2nd episode: Call me Bwana by cutest_of_borg	Mar 25th, 2008 01:11:29 PM
In Treatment? Tell Me You Love Me? Goddamnit. HBO sucks now.
3rd episode: I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Monkeypox by cutest_of_borg	Mar 25th, 2008 01:12:41 PM
John Adams rules, however.
It beat the pants off the Pratchett adaptation... by palimpsest	Mar 25th, 2008 01:52:57 PM
The other big TV offering in the UK this Easter was the Sky One adaptation of Pratchett's THE COLOUR OF MAGIC and THE LIGHT FANTASTIC, bundled together into a 4 hour miniseries over two 2 hour slots. They bracketed this off under the title of the first Discworld novel. It starred UK telly stalwart David Jason as Rincewind, along with Sean Astin as Twoflower and Tim Curry as baddie wizard Trymon. Frankly, it stunk up the place. The humour was laboured throughout, relying on heavy playing from the leads. Technical credits were OK for UK TV (damned by the faintest of praise, I know), but there was no sense of fun about the whole enterprise. A missed opportunity.
The title makes it sound like a Chick-Lit adaptation by Quin the Eskimo	Mar 25th, 2008 01:57:26 PM
That's why I've ignored what I now think is a cool sounding project.
More Terry Pratchett by palimpsest	Mar 25th, 2008 02:01:30 PM
UK press sources are reporting that the same production team (writer/director Vadim Jean, who was responsible for the JIMINY GLICK movie and THE REAL HOWARD SPITZ) are working on Pratchett's GOING POSTAL for a 2009 UK TV premiere. Let's hope they do better than MAGIC, which played a lesser UK variant of those Hallmark classic miniseries things, if that makes any sense at all...
Ladies Detective Agency? by Napoleon Park	Mar 25th, 2008 02:16:23 PM
Someone took the title of Women's Murder Club and changed the words? My mind reels from the creativity.
HBO pickup Journeyman so we can see some nude by captboulder	Mar 25th, 2008 02:36:15 PM
Moon Bloodgood! I'll open a subscription to HBO for 10 yrs for that alone!!!
And apparently got a time machine, Napoleon by elab49	Mar 25th, 2008 02:59:30 PM
Given the books predate Pattersons by some years. Twee is about right - Curtis is the king of cloying sentimentality for heavens sake. He can't help it. The books don't have much bite - but the programme lost any there was. We have a tradition of cosy viewing on Sunday nights in the UK - the Heartbeats, etc. Comfort viewing for the elderly. This fit in fine. Colour of Magic was pretty awful - script a mess, casting didn't work and sound was odd. The Luggage was good. Hogfather was better.
Napoleon Park... by palimpsest	Mar 25th, 2008 03:05:54 PM
NO 1 LADIES made its print debut in 1998, three years before the first WOMENS MURDER CLUB novel.
gobofraggleuk: by prbt	Mar 25th, 2008 03:06:25 PM
"I read the first one and they're written as if the characters are simple-minded children." I've known a handful of Botswanans in my time, and they were pretty much as depicted in the show, uncynical and friendly. 'Simple-minded children', absolutely not, but they ain't like you or I. Happiest people I ever met.
Miss Marple in Africa... by Sledge Hammer	Mar 25th, 2008 03:42:00 PM
...that's basically what this is, and it's every bit as dull, outdated, quant and hollow in it's storytelling and execution once you get past the main gimmick.
What's wrong with lightweight fare if it's smart and well crafte by Rev. Slappy	Mar 25th, 2008 04:11:22 PM
What's wrong with something being well written, well acted and well crafted entertainment? It seems like we have two types of films today: mindless entertainment and dreary serious movies. I was watching the original Raiders of the Lost Ark the other day and it is smart, well written and almost ridiculously entertaining. What's wrong with that? Why doesn't anybody really take Spielberg seriously until Schindler's List? Is Schinlder's a better film than Raiders because it's "serious?" Actors will tell you that comedy is harder to do than drama, that it is easier to make an audience cry than it is to make them laugh.
Not Miss Marple by elab49	Mar 25th, 2008 05:43:49 PM
There was a true darkness to that character and an absolute belief in evil of a sort that McCall Smith simply never does.
I'd disagree with your 2 categories by elab49	Mar 25th, 2008 05:47:18 PM
And I don't think Schindlers is better than Raiders - the opposite in fact. But I do think well crafted, etc can also betray a cosiness that falls back on a lack of ambition. Some people like twee and good on 'em. Every one has comfort TV and films. But that shouldn't mean an inability to acknowledge when something is pretty indifferent, whether you like it or not. We all like some crap after alL!
I thought traditionally built african women were stick thin by Mysterious Yobo	Mar 25th, 2008 05:48:22 PM
maybe its a different part of africa
I liked it by kuryakin	Mar 25th, 2008 06:34:54 PM
It was well-written, nicely acted and engaging throughout. I dunno about these accusations of being "comfort TV" - it was certainly good-natured and I guess it was meant to entertain first and foremost.Probably if you are expecting Deadwood/Rome/The Wire then your expectations are pretty much fucked. What I did like was that it showed Africa and Africans in a way that is never normally seen on TV. Botswana was presented as lush and beautiful,the people weren't victims of famine, not one whitey in there patronisingly trying to 'save' them. In particular I liked the way they handled the subject of HIV - there were vague references to disease and there were glimpses of posters referring to HIV/AIDS and indeed there were even kids who were clearly infected - yet it was never shown to be something that was insurmountable, nor were the people weeping in the streets waiting for help from Saint Fucking Bono and his homies. Basically what I'm saying is that the guy above who said it was condescending is wrong.
When's Carnivale coming back? by Drath	Mar 25th, 2008 06:41:29 PM
I care not about anything else from you, HB-fucking-O.
Anyone else miss The Wire like a close relative? by Boxcutter	Mar 25th, 2008 09:35:03 PM
These books are lite, lite, lite. Managed two and a half of the series. Pleasant diversions, nothing more. My gran loves 'em - there you go. No harm in low to middlebrow condescending yet exotic fodder, but Jesus does HBO need to call a crash meeting of the bigheads and source some adult drama. In Treatment, Big Love and Entourage don't count. Geberation Kill might - but that's one. Sigh. Back to Season One and Snotboogie...
Get over it. by Prespez	Mar 25th, 2008 10:29:27 PM
Not every show HBO makes has anything to do with Deadwood, Rome, and/or Carnivale. Guess what? They were expensive shows that not enough people watched. It sucks they're off the air...i would love to see more...but don't blame all the worlds woes over their cancellation. Clearly this show isn't for everyone. most of the comments are you geeks trying your hardest to be catty, but either you haven't seen it, or you never will. So find something better to do. I for one enjoyed it, i don't need every show I watch to be edgy.
Well...that seemed planty. by buffywrestling	Mar 25th, 2008 11:48:53 PM
Might check it out though.ú
AICN TBers Unite by Stevie Grant	Mar 25th, 2008 11:59:55 PM
We need to stop all this "Plant" calling nonsense. It is counterproductive. Review recent "Cool News" posts: posted by the site, that is, by the guys who manage this site. It's not the reviews sent in that are plants, it's Harry and his ilk that push this shit in our faces.
Some of us are in the UK and DID watch it Pres by elab49	Mar 26th, 2008 03:21:10 AM
And also have read some of the books. So no stereotype insults, yes?
Fifth Case...Dead Nigerian Prince by Hagakure	Mar 26th, 2008 07:47:05 AM
...and she has to send out massive amounts of emails to people all over the world asking for people to help her sneak his fortune out of the country.
just bring back tales from the crypt hbo by theonecalledshoe	Mar 26th, 2008 08:31:01 PM
and the haters will be quasi-happy. Still, the no. 1 ladies detective agency isn't Charlie's Angels?! huh, had me fooled :) BTW: has this tale been spun to oprah at all?

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A Review Of Anthony Minghella’s Final Directorial Effort: The Movie-Length Pilot For HBO’s NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY!!

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