SECRET STATE/DVD

An engaging, and at times gripping, political thriller that ought to have been a bit longer as, one suspects, some of the plot lines that needed development wound up on the cutting room floor. Alas, it truly reflects the coming zeitgeist that we are presently enduring when "profiles in political courage" are rendered meaningless .

A well crafted, taught political thriller. Much more the thriller than its predecessor "A very British Coup", which I liked a lot for its own reasons. Also the story lines are quite different, though coming from the same book by Muller. Here we haveGabriel Byrne as the PM, a total opposite character (brooding and mistrustful) to the protagonist in A very British Coup ( outgoing and much too trusting). Byrne has been a favorite since he was in Millers Crossing, that top notch offering from the Coen bros.This time around the situations are so that one hopes that kind of thing really does not go on in government, but they are presented so convincingly that it is scary. Here in the US there have been warnings about secret cadres of corporations that have great control over politics. Control without election.

I enjoyed this story and would recommend it for anyone who likes British mysteries. The subject matter was very timely, i.e. big business runs everything. No great secret. This is a politcal thriller with a great cast of actors. I wish it had gone on longer. My only complaint is Gabriel Byrne's hair. Couldn't they have given him a hair cut and styling? After all, he is playing the Prime Minister of England. Oh, and the red socks got a little tedious. But he's a great actor non-the-less.

Was so impressed with the first disc when I rented it from Netflix that I just went ahead and ordered it from Amazon so I could add it to my collection....riveting! An excellent (and intelligent) addition to my British film collection!

Gabriel Byre was stellar in this miniseries ! Full of British political intrigue and American petrochemical company coverup!Shows how democratic governments are really controlled by those that control the flow money!

Love this Mini-Series. Great writing, directing, performances. A suspenseful, intelligent drama, based on serious hazards within the political atmosphere today. This involves real situations that we should all be aware of. Important stuff.

Great cast, exciting story. Ending catches by surprise.

Really good plot. A little slow at times but overall good show

This is an excellent drama series. It was a complete surprise. The scripts are clever and the actors superb in every department - not one weak link for me. I am not a fan of the lead actor (Gabriel Byrne) but he does an excellent job in this movie. If you like subterfuge and British Noire type movies, then this is for you. There are four episodes bought together as a series of hour and something long movies.The setting and locations are good and the whole experience is believable.Somehow, I kept thinking throughout watching this that it reflected so many things in life that lie below the surface as reality but society lies about them.If only politicians were like the principle character, so many of our problems would be resolved.

I have always enjoyed Gabriel Byrne's work. He is particularly good at acting with his face which is important in television as so much is shot in close up. A political drama shot in 2012. Four episodes - and considering that it is mostly 'men in suits' the locations have been chosen where possible to add colour and style. Big subjects, the stories cleverly woven together I found it excellent. It held my attention from beginning to end. Very good entertainment.

Amazon sells many Secret State type DVDs. "State of Play" with John Simm & Neil Morrisett", "The State Within" with Ben Daniels,etc, "Enemy of the State" with Gene Hackman. They are all very popular and all available from Amazon.Gabriel Byrne's "Secret State" is up there with the rest of them if you are an afficianado of the genre. It is based on an old popular story called "A very British Coup" with Ray McAnally. Byrne plays a British Prime Minister who is plagued by pressures from the White House and US military interests just as McAnally was. Byrne is opposed by traitors within his own cabinet who stand to gain financially for embracing America's policy aims. With all these stories the ending is expected - although the machinations and twists and turns are what gets people in. Gabriel Byrne is a great actor who has played many memorable roles. This DVD is well worth buying.

An intense psychological and political thriller. The only criticism is the ending leaves everything up in the air - I like a conclusion and this does not have one. But very good watching never the less.

The impact of the dialogue would be so much better if the more of the power of the English language had been used instead of the overly frequent use of expletives. I am not recommending long Shakespearean speeches or snobbish sounding accents but on the other hand it is a bit distracting to hear expletives - the "F word" in particular - being used so liberally.The end of the show does not make plain what actually happened. We can guess but we are left somewhat in the dark.I give the show 5 stars because it is very good minus 0.5 star because of the expletives and minus another 0.5 star since it is not plain what happened at the very end and thus arrive at the final 4-star rating.Apart from these two reservations I must say that the show was very interesting and kept my attention right to the end.