Red Joan Review by Jonathan Glazier: This is a terrific film. With that cast, it should be Dame Judi Dench, Sophie Cookson and directed by Trevor Nunn. I found the narrative style fresh and exciting, the use of flashback is always a fine line, but I thought it was a line used to perfection. So that’s the good stuff, now for my issue. How loose does loosely based mean? Yes, Tube Alloys was the real cover for the British Nuclear Program, yes the real Joan was a secretary to the Chief Professor doing the research. And yes the real Joan gave a press conference on her suburban doorstep much to the amazement of her neighbours.
But the real Joan went to Southampton University, not Cambridge, she had long flirted with the communist party etc. etc. Her advocate was her daughter, not her son. So it really is a long list of points that goes beyond dramatic licence, in my view its a different story, a good story but actually fictional. I have always had an issue with that. It doesn’t matter how well observed the cars, costume and design match the period. If the facts are so bent, it’s not based on it is just very loosely inspired by. All said and done this is a film worth seeing.
Synopsis Red Joan Review
Red Joan is a British spy drama inspired by the true story of Melita Norwood, a British civil servant who passed nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union. The film follows Joan Stanley, a retired widow whose quiet suburban life is disrupted when she is arrested for espionage. As she undergoes interrogation, the narrative delves into her past as a brilliant physics student at Cambridge during World War II, exploring her moral dilemmas and the choices that led her to betray her country.
Original Channel and Premiere Date
- World Premiere: Toronto International Film Festival, 7 September 2018
- UK Release: 19 April 2019
- Distributor: Lionsgate
Key Creatives
- Writer: Lindsay Shapero (screenplay), based on the novel by Jennie Rooney
- Director: Trevor Nunn
- Production Companies: Trademark Films, Cambridge Picture Company, Quickfire Films, Embankment Films, Twickenham Studios
Cast
- Judi Dench as Joan Stanley
- Notable Works: Philomena, Skyfall, Notes on a Scandal
- Sophie Cookson as Young Joan Stanley
- Notable Works: Kingsman: The Secret Service, Gypsy, The Huntsman: Winter’s War
- Tom Hughes as Leo Galich
- Notable Works: Victoria, The Game, About Time
- Stephen Campbell Moore as Max Davis
- Notable Works: The History Boys, Downton Abbey, The Bank Job
- Ben Miles as Nick Stanley
- Notable Works: The Crown, Coupling, V for Vendetta
Next Episode Info
Red Joan is a feature film with a runtime of 101 minutes. It was released theatrically and is currently available on digital platforms and home media. There are no subsequent episodes or series continuations.
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