Empathy (2007 TV Movie) User Reviews

Shame that it's only a one off!

[amberoelliott · 7/10 · 6 August 2007]

I really enjoyed this drama and was just getting in to it when it ended.

After getting out of prison for manslaughter, Jimmy (played by the charming Stephen Moyer) starts to see briefly into people's lives by merely touching them, seeing their inner most secrets. At first he thinks the prolonged stay in prison has made him unable to cope with life on the outside, especially because he has just started to pick up life where he left off with his daughter, who he hasn't seen in over 9 years and his wife Sarah has moved on with life and is happily married to someone else.

However, when he accidentally bumps into a young guy on a station platform, Jimmy begins to have flashes of a very violent murder of a young girl in the woods. He starts to see a psychologist and has a MRI scan; hoping to find a reason for these impromptu flashes. But really starts to worry when a body of a young girl is found in the woods.

Jimmy has two options. Follow his friend's advice and tell no one, or do the opposite and go to the police hoping they'll listen and use these flashes to stop the next murder….

Though Empathy was slightly predictable (I must admit I pointed out within seconds who the real killer was) Stephen Moyer played a convincing role as a man who was totally freaked out by the prospect of seeing into people's most inner thoughts. The other characters were all well played and given bit more time, they could have developed well.

It was fast paced (sometimes a bit too fast, my boyfriend had a hard time keeping up with all the flash backs) and nicely wrapped up in drama of an hour and a half. It even left on a cliff hanger, I'm guessing leaving it open for a series but I must admit to being rather disappointed that there weren't a few more episodes more. I for one would have tuned in to it!

I agree with a few of the recent reviews on the web that if they were to carry this through to a 'Touching Evil' type drama series, they are going to have to dig a little deeper when it comes to their story lines. Perhaps reading some Agatha Christie might help :O)

"Shake his hand, dam* it!"

[were-rabbit · 8/10 · 4 August 2007]

I didn't realize it, until I looked it up on IMDb: This is not a series, but a TV-film. And what a waste THAT is. Empathy really left me craving for more, an effect 'series' seldom have on me (Cracker being a notable exception). Ever heard of a cliffhanger? Exactly the reason why I haven't awarded it my full nine stars. The interest of Empathy lies not in its handling of the theme of clairvoyance. In that respect it's rather bland: ex-prisoner, convicted of murder, feels that his 'gift' for clairvoyance is actually a curse on which he has to act to redeem himself. My feeling is that here the story is turning rather Christian. My point: Christianity being one of the footholds of our contemporary ethics, it's easy to have a protagonist search for true human values in that area. In other words: this is exactly where clairvoyance does NOT put our contemporary ideas into perspective. Considering the above-said, why award it eight stars anyway? Well, the true interest lies in its display of raw human emotion. The drama which envelopes because the protagonist knows (by means of a handshake) what the deepest buried secrets of the 'handshakee' are, leaves a lot of room for anger, split-second reflection and confession. And this is where this TV-film turns interesting. I say only one thing (spoiler alert): The moment when the teacher confesses his guilt is an amazing way to underline human complexity. But a cliffhanger reeks after literary technique, so I'm still hoping it's a pilot.

If you liked The Dead Zone or Afterlife then you'll like this too.

[sharonmarais · 10/10 · 5 August 2007]

Fabulously well written and acted. I really hope that this is not just a one off. Stephen Moyer was convincing as Jimmy Collins and the premise was well constructed and executed.

If you were a fan of The Dead Zone or Afterlife then you'll certainly find this to your taste too. ...there are similarities between these shows and Empathy, but in my opinion the writing and acting are better in this show than either of the others.

This was a 1 1/2 hour drama which did seem to be setting up the outline for a new series, yet there is no further information available at the BBCs website about if or when it might continue. If this is to be the opener to a series then they may have made a serious mistake in not following on right away - it's always best to build on forward momentum than to try and regain an audience once the new season's schedule starts.

Please let the BBC continue this as a series. Saturday night TV might just become bearable again if they do.

A good, British, film

[abrondz · 9/10 · 21 March 2009]

Empathy is one of the films you've never heard about, but which turns out to be amazingly good. The plot is, except for the visions, very convincing.

Jimmy, who has spent nine years in prison, starts getting visions when touching people. The visions are well made, though he learns more in the visions than what's shown on the screen. The visions aren't random for most of the time. The red line throughout the film is that Jimmy, after not being believed by the police, which is quite common in films with clairvoyants, helps them investigate a murder. That keeps the film going and the audience interested. In addition, the viewer learns about Jimmy's life before and in prison, piece by piece, not revealing too much at once.

Another thing I noticed, was that almost everyone Jimmy touched had committed some crime. It makes you wonder if the world really is as bad as the film shows. Still, it's just one minor detail.

I just wonder how long it'll take for Hollywood to find this film and make a sequel, like they did with 28 days later.