Derek117 I just stumbled across this film on iTunes on a lazy Sunday, and have been jumping for joy! I love "thinking" spy thrillers--films like The Ipcress Files, Funeral In Berlin, The Night Manager, Homeland, and even Turn: Washington's Spies--and Restless ranks right up there with the best. The plot is intelligent without being too complex, the directing was spot-on (I particularly liked the cutting back-and-forth between time periods at the end of the first part of this two-part mini), and the period clothes, cars and interiors are right up there with The Man in the High Castle. Oh and the acting by this cast of Brits, should make U.S. actors want to go back to school. And I can't say enough about Hayley Atwell's performance: incredible! Plus, with her generous curves, she was made for 1940s films. All around excellent film. Find it on DVD or iTunes and watch it--and then watch it again. You won't be disappointed.

siderite The description of the three hour, two episode drama is misleading. The daughter doesn't find out her mother is not who she thought she was. Instead she is given a manuscript containing the complete story of her mother's life. Most of the film is what Hayley Atwell's character did in the 40's, with little that makes any sense in the 1970's "present".Now, the story is interesting, a sort of cloak and dagger British Intelligence outfit that is tasked with convincing the Americans to join the war effort in favour of Europe. Sexy Eva is recruited, trained and unleashed upon unsuspecting foreign agents. However, as many have noticed, the execution of the plot survives only to the most superficial scrutiny. But it is damn ridiculous to complain about the inconsistencies, though, if we liked the movie. It's not like we don't know it's a film.What does strike as slightly annoying is the length of the feature. Certainly this could have been more concise in the length of a normal film or more detailed and watchable in a three or four episode miniseries. As such, you can't wait for it to be over, waiting for the climactic ending that, alas, doesn't really come. Everything is explained in the end, but with a fizzling finale that holds no power and creates no emotion.Beautiful Hayley Atwell and Rufus Seawell both made the film bearable due to their performance. Perhaps it would have been better to just discard the 1970's story and just tell the 1940 one from beginning to end. The Americans would have done so, ended the story with her escaping and quickly preparing a sequel. :)

richwgriffin-227-176635 This made for British television movie has astonishing performances. Michael Gambon, Michelle Dockery (of Downton Abbey), Hayley Atwell, and especially Charlotte Rampling. The film is well directed and keeps up the suspense all the way to the end.Some of the reviews of this have been quite astonishing. I have no idea (other than Michelle Dockery is in both) a reviewer would compare it (unfavorably!) with Downton Abbey - the best British television series EVER. Also people saying there are all these alleged "plot holes". Actually, it all makes sense and is brilliantly done and very entertaining.But I want to give my greatest praise for the brilliant actress Charlotte Rampling as the older Eva. I suspect she will win a well deserved Emmy as Best Supporting Actress next September. She has a steely determination and a feeling of paranoia after years of stress over being found out.My only complaint has to do with the commercial interruptions on Sundance - once it comes out on DVD the maddening commercials will be gone.Grade: A

postmortem-books This was watchable which sounds as if is damning with faint praise but since so much on TV is hyped beforehand and turns out to be poorly produced and/or acted it is good to be able to sit through 3 hours of drama and want to know how it all ends. Having said that if you are going to set a drama in a very recognisable historical setting it is just as well to get everything right otherwise nerds like me spot anomalies and we end up talking about what was wrong and not was right.The London Transport bus shown briefly in the 1940's scene was a Routemaster which was only introduced on to the streets in the early 60's. In the 1975 scene where the daughter visits Lord Romer we see a "P" reg Rolls Royce drive off. The "P" reg was issued in 1978. **SPOILER** Where did the young Eva learn her gun technique to bump off Alfie when she was specifically omitted from the gun training at spy camp? **SPOILER END** What was the point of Ruth's ex-lover turning up in the closing scenes? And why did the older Eva live in a remote cottage if she was frightened of someone bumping her off? The best place to hide would be in a busy city.Actually, the more one thinks about it the more plot holes open up so perhaps I had better stop now.