I generally find Agatha Christie more appealing as an idea than in reality. Her work features ingeneous but preposterous plots, cardboard characters and, in many recent adaptations, has been made worse by contemporary moralising and the imposition of modern values where they feel very out of place. But I rather liked this Hugh Laurie-penned adaptation of one her less well-known stories. Laurie's dialogue is sparkling and actually feels more Christie-esque than the real thing, but thankfully no attempt is made to inbue the story with a seriousness it cannot bear. There's also a good cast in action (including Laurie himself); Paul Whitehouse is the pick (albeit in a minor role), hilarious though playing it almost straight. Laurie can't altogether save the ropey plot; but without that, would it be Christie at all?
Review of Why Didn't They Ask Evans?
