Too Close (2021) User Reviews

Intense, cracking drama.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 12 April 2021]

Doctor Emma Robinson is called in to assess patient Connie Mortensen, who claims to be suffering from amnesia following a horrific crime.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, I like the format of it being on over three consecutive nights, with so much on it makes it a lot easier to follow. Presumably made during Covid, so there is a somewhat smaller cast, but it had a very intimate feel.

Too Close, does that imply how close Doctor gets to their patient, or something else?

Two very strong lead actresses, I am a huge fan of Emily Watson, she never disappoints, you know it'll be good when you see her starring. Denise Gough also, terrific, her transformation is incredible, it takes some real talent to do that.

I really enjoyed it, 8/10.

Wonderfully Agonisingly Brilliant

[praestandum · 8/10 · 1 July 2021]

Forget the poor reviews. Watch this utterly compelling performance of two people colliding together and finding redemption in self forgiveness and the forgiveness of each other.

Excellent psychological drama

[neil-321 · 8/10 · 21 May 2021]

If you've never wondered why the streets aren't overrun with broken people, then this might not be for you. For the rest of us, though, this is an excellent perceptive, unsettling, thought-provoking psychological drama. Blinding performances from the two leads, with solid support from the rest of the cast.

very realistic, a real problem

[nyobatusa · 7/10 · 5 July 2021]

This is a real problem, Psychiatric drugs are not only dangerous to take, they are also dangerous to withdraw from. A nice mini-series, superb acting. Emily Watson is such a talented actress.

tension not the highest

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 21 April 2021]

Connie Mortensen (Denise Gough) is in a manic state. She drives her car off a bridge in a rainstorm with two girls in the back. With possible attempted murder charges, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Emma Robertson (Emily Watson) is brought in to evaluate her.

This is a 3 episode mini-series totaling about two hours. The tension is not the highest. There are a couple of surprise reveals that aren't as compelling as they should be. This is fine as character work with the two lead actresses. It's a slow burner. It could be tightened if it drops about thirty minutes and turns into a theatrical movie. I did expect something with the car behind her which could have added some extra intensity.

Not an easy watch but pretty terrific.

[somf · 9/10 · 29 November 2021]

So 20 months ago my wife fell off a bike and got sepsis which messed with her blood pressure which led to two cerebral hemorrhagic strokes within a month. The doctors gave her 6-12 months. She is still alive and most people would not know meeting her that she had had any sort of brain issues, but at the time she was prescribed Klonopin and she just got off it on her own a couple weeks ago.

Going into this series (really a film at less than 2 and 1/2 hours) I had no idea that the central theme was around benzo withdrawals. I did not watch this with my wife. I did know it was about mental health. But it was so odd to watch the film and have my wife yelling at me and verbally abusing me from the next room as she begins her third week without benzos. There was a surreal quality to the whole events happening around me as I watched this excellent production. It made me want to go hug my wife even as she said horrible things to me. She would have none of it. She will apologize tomorrow though. It is a cycle that I am sure will soon end.

Anyway Emily Watson is a very good actress , but Denise Gough is a revelation in this film. I had not heard of her before, but if she does not at least get an emmy nomination for her work here, there is no justice. An amazing performance. If you can take the subject matter it is a fine well written story. But certainly not for everyone.

Marred by a basic flaw

[tony-70-667920 · 6/10 · 16 April 2021]

Unlike some commentators, I wasn't put off by the slow pace. Not everything has to be like "Line of Duty", with twists and revelations in every episode. I enjoyed the way we gradually found out why Connie did what she did, and what happened to the psychiatrist's only child, and the two leads were terrific. However, I have two problems with this tale. The minor one is that we aren't told at the end how long a sentence Connie received. This other is far more important and basic, and I'm surprised no-one else has raised it. The series starts with a distraught Connie diving herself and two young girls, at night, into a river. Connie was in no state to save herself, let alone all three of them, and the only other person anywhere near was another motorist, who (unless he or she was a superhero from some Marvel Comics idiocy) could also not have got them out in time. This means that realistically Connie and the doctor would never have met and there would have been no story (which would please this series' detractors.)

Excellent acting

[tacom · 9/10 · 25 September 2021]

I wish IMDB would moderat the reviews more, I just read some and 1 person had the audacity to review this series after watching 15 minutes of it. This should now be allowed.

This short series (3 episodes) is compelling and sad at the same time. Both actresses are absolutely fantastic and the plot is just varied enough, not focussing on 1 issue, to keep you glued to the screen.

8 out of 10 for the series, and an extra point for the absolutely great acting. Well done Emily and. Denise.

Watchable

[alan-m-hughes · 6/10 · 16 April 2021]

You need to watch all three episodes to enjoy this series, and to make sense of it. There are two stories here and really it only needed one. This lead to unnecessary histrionics; though generally the acting is good. At times it is overwrought and over acted but it passes the time well enough.

Some sparks but overall dull and cliched with actors wasted

[AlanJ2 · 2/10 · 24 April 2021]

Critics have noted the semblance of a female Hannibal Lecter in this joust between a forensic psychiatrist and a mother accused of a heinous crime, which is not surprising as lines are lifted and adapted from 'Silence of the Lambs'. But there unfortunately any resemblance ends. The actors do what they can but it feels so inauthentic and inaccurate that it never attains any suspension of disbelief in the viewer. Emily Watson never once seems like a trained psychiatrist, quite the opposite, she is so feeble, nervous and out of her depth she comes on more like a shy librarian, consistently breaking all the rules of her training. But then as many have pointed out the facility in which she works is bogus, lethal objects are taken into secure rooms with nobody caring or checking. All the characters are pretty unpleasant too and TV cliches abound like the ritual marital sex with clothes on at the kitchen table. It is the writing and plotting which lets this down so badly, yes there are some quite nasty sparring matches but that is not enough to make a plot.

Absorbing

[cassidy_robert · 10/10 · 15 April 2021]

I really can't understand why people leave reviews after only 1 or 2 episodes of a 3 part programme. Their judgements are merely superficial. Having watched it all I thought it was a superior and thought provoking drama. It left you wanting more and I hope there will be. Excellent leads and they bounced off each other creating sparks. Emily Watson is always good and Denise Gough was equal to her acting ability. Yes it was slow but it needed to be given the subject matter. Not all drama has to be smash bang wollop. If you are the thoughtful type of viewer, watch it. If you are into crash bang wollop don't bother.

Dial 999

[bwmcg · 6/10 · 16 April 2021]

I really thought I must have missed something. Episode 2 ends with Connie starting a fire in her room but the story never mentions the fact?!?!

I even went back and watched the ending again but same result.

Smoke, scorched walls, floor, ceiling, death, investigation? No, nothing.

Was it just to get us to watch the last episode?

Dreadful waste of time

[carolehulse-35560 · 1/10 · 13 April 2021]

This drama was about a forensic psychiatrist who was there to study the sanity of a woman who'd committed a terrible crime. Where was the professionalism of the Doctor who sat there looking catatonic whilst being psychoanalysed by the woman instead of the other way round? It was ridiculous. The plot was corny trite woke ubiquitous same old same old rubbish. Switched off.

Really good Drama real life problems

[luise_middleton · 7/10 · 23 August 2021]

This was very well done and acting was on point

It addresses mental health that we dont always see. I would highly recommend.

and a half

[Headturner1 · 6/10 · 20 April 2021]

Which is decent for me. 9 on tension and the way it's shot etc( jet lagged ) so short on words. I do wish they would have hashed out the STORIES better. Emily Wattsons was this big secret etc and then was a let down vs the truth of what really happened and what happened with Connie in the end??? Idk if I went in the other room for a minute and missed something but what was the verdict? It was very rushed and with more back stories piling up I kept thinking there's not going to be a satisfying ending. It is what it is but it could have been better hashed out. I did love the creepy feel of the whole thing tho. It made up a bit for where it was lacking. All and all a decent UK thriller( my genre) in my book.

Very good

[veniceren · 9/10 · 14 April 2021]

This is intense. In my opinion, those who don't like it are just looking for big explosions and gun fights.

This shows the complexities of trauma and mental illness in various forms. I'm not a specialist but even I can see grief in its many forms. Very well done so far and I'm only on the second episode.

Worth watching

[Vindelander · 7/10 · 20 April 2021]

Overall it's a good production with a strong cast. The storyline is intriguing but ultimately is rather melodramatic with a bit of an anticlimactic ending.

How are the streets not full of wrecked people?

[crimeandpancakes · 9/10 · 21 April 2021]

Hard hitting drama showing how easy it could be to be pushed to breaking point with the right set of circumstances. Also how we can pre judge without knowing the full picture. It's a slow burn but outstanding from start to finish.

Two-thirds of a good show

[somethingreal81 · 6/10 · 3 May 2021]

The first two episodes were terrific, with an interesting central mystery. However, the last episode resolved everything in the most mundane way possible.

Exploring what would lead someone to drive herself and two children off a bridge is an interesting premise. However, when the answer is simply "because she went off her meds," then it turns out there was never any mystery at all. Also, the Connie character undergoes a complete personality transplant in the last episode. In the first two episodes she's difficult, angry, and shows absolutely no remorse for her actions. But when she finally remembers the details of the accident in the third episode, she suddenly becomes a sensitive and blubbering mess. I'm not an expert, but I'm pretty sure amnesia doesn't also cause massive personality changes.

Forget it

[asupergav · 3/10 · 12 April 2021]

The best scenes in my opinion are the opening ones lasting only a few minutes. The rest of the episode is full of thoroughly unlikeable and uninteresting people because there is zero character development. The principal lead, Dr Emma Robinson, a forensic psychiatrist seems to be in a permanent fugue state with unblinking staring eyes and arguably appears more disturbed than her patient, played by Denise Gough whose after-accident make up looks like a visual aspect of her acting: over-applied and messy. The main point of the story is supposed to be whether she remembers her actions and is sane or not after attempting suicide in a car with her two kids in it with her. As stated, because of the unpleasant personalities involved, one secretly wishes she succeeded. I won't be watching the remaining two episodes as a mystery thriller this is not. In fact, it's a total waste of time.

Well acted slow burner some won't enjoy

[peted-5 · 8/10 · 13 April 2021]

Plenty of high scores and low scores on here with nothing in between. It's a slow burner of a series with two obviously traumatised women and a lot of mystery of what's happened to them. But you have to be patient and wait for the slow but sure character development.

Don't tune in if expecting an exciting and fast paced programme. Do if enjoying a good psychological drama with plenty of questions to be answered.

Brakes on this slowburner

[xmasdaybaby1966 · 7/10 · 15 April 2021]

On the positive side, the cast aren't familiar faces so you can concentrate on the story.

The story is slow and flashbacks eek out the past.

It is aimed at women but, if men can stay awake long enough, a pair of breasts can be seen in episode 2.

No action. Little storyline. Very middle class.

Tedious

[kdycer · 5/10 · 15 April 2021]

A forensic psychoanalyst still mourning the loss of her daughter is brought in to assess the mental state of a woman who drove her car into a river with 2 kids in the back. Sounds intriguing but it's so poorly executed I stopped watching after episode 2. There's being a slow burner and there's being just plain boring. None of the characters are likeable or even believable. Emily Watsons character could have been played by a fence post. Too much filling with pointless exchanges between the 2 main characters. Snooze fest.

Questionable Choices in Supporting Character Casting Ruined It

[bowieec · 6/10 · 4 May 2021]

There were elements of a great show here. I thought it was getting better episode by episode. A little too sunny an ending to be realistic. But the more I watched the more irritated I became when I realized that every person of color was one of the bad guys. The black neighbor Connie befriends betrays her with Connie's husband. The black ward nurse is neglectful and somewhat abusive toward Connie. She also comes across as lazy. The east Asian prescribing doctor or psychiatrist, from before the car off the bridge incident, practically throws an overdose of diazepam at Connie without checking her other medication and continues over prescribing, brushing it off with Emma and basically denying any wrongdoing. And then with Emma, her black college friend takes advantage of her after she reveals that she thinks her husband is having an affair, and tries to kiss her. I mean what were they thinking? It's very disappointing and sad that every minority is negatively portrayed in this show.

Great series

[ctoby-27883 · 7/10 · 8 July 2021]

I was totally hooked - but the final episode felt like the characters were being forced to tie things off for the purpose of the show ending. Would otherwise recommend.