BOTTOM LINE
Sincere Yet Exhausting
PLATFORM
JioCinema
What Is the Film About?
Dr. Jim Swire’s daughter Flora dies in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, prompting him to embark on a relentless quest to uncover the truth behind the tragedy. He grapples with grief, loss, and the complexities of international politics while questioning official narratives and confronting powerful institutions, all in the hopes of finding justice for his daughter and the other victims of the bombing.
Performances
Colin Firth is absolutely fantastic as Jim Swire, the resilient father who braves it all to protect the innocent, fighting for justice – showcasing the character’s wear and tear masterfully over decades. Sam Troughton brings a likeable determination to the portrayal of Murray Guthrie – he’s focused and yet human enough, something that the show must have tried harder to be.
Besides Ardalan Esmaili’s stunning physical transformation (Abdelbaset al-Megrahi) – from his middle age to his final years on his deathbed – he lends an element of mystery to his performance that keeps the viewer on his toes. Catherine McCormack as Jane Swire complements Colin’s screen presence effectively, stepping into the shoes of a loyal wife with a firm voice.
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Analysis
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Lockerbie – A Search for Truth is a five-part episodic drama centred on a medico Jim Swire’s unnerving pursuit to nail the mastermind behind the bombing of the Pan Am Flight 103 – in which his daughter Flora and over 270 passengers were killed. To date, it remains the most fatal terrorist attack in the UK’s history – around which an independent inquiry was never held by the government.
The series, based on Jim’s book ‘The Lockerbie Bombing: A Father’s Search for Justice’ primarily serves as a docudrama, focusing on the many controversies surrounding the case, brought alive with a handful of cinematic liberties. As a story, it’s hard not to be fascinated by the protagonist’s tireless determination to ensure justice for the victims of the bombing and get closer to the truth.
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While it’s a layered, pathbreaking story of human triumph on paper, drenched in legal jargon amidst scores of political conspiracies and theories, David Harrower (creator) and team are too attached to the source material to make it work. They’re too concerned with recreating true events on the screen over ensuring a compelling viewing experience, resulting in a dull, fact-heavy show.
The story is far from simplistic. Jim gives up nearly everything in life in his pursuit of truth, putting together every piece of evidence that could help authorities put the terrorists behind bars. While power equations change across the globe over decades, Jim loses out on precious years as a parent (with his other two children), also straining his equation with his wife Jane.
Jim eventually looks back at the lost time with a sense of regret when he doesn’t find any definite answers. In terms of characterisation – there’s a moral dilemma and guilt in Jim. He’s unsure of (the accused) Megrahi’s innocence and travels to Libya to confirm it when the latter is on his deathbed. The show excels at its climactic moments when Jim relooks at his priorities in the middle of a family holiday.
While there’s no complaint about the team’s effort to capture the complexities of the case brick by brick, after a point it just stops catering to the viewer’s needs. Beneath the facts, the emotional link to hold the show together is largely missing – the quieter, deeper conversations needed greater depth. The legal drama is gruelling and it’s difficult to process the information for five long hours.
How did Jim manage his finances while drowning himself in the case for over two decades? How did he showcase such great resilience for long periods – even without hope in sight? Jim, at times, is akin to a robot, traversing countries, meeting legal teams and journalists, fighting on and on. The show needed smaller, human details that could embellish the plot and make it more interesting.
Like in one of the final episodes where a woman asks ‘what’s Lockerbie?’ and Jim is too shocked to offer her a response, the show needed more such arresting, poignant moments to keep it afloat. In the end, it is more exhausting than engaging. Despite its demerits – the length, the fact-heavy storytelling and the robotic treatment – it’s a sincere effort that could’ve loosened up a little more.
Music and Other Departments?
Composer Rupert Gregson-Williams makes the most of the show’s tense, brooding ambience to create an atmospheric score that relieves the viewer from the exhausting legal proceedings. Ashley Rowe’s effective use of lighting in varied environments to suggest the mood of the show is particularly appreciable and the visual finesse undeniably elevates it. Editors Dan Roberts and Melanie Viner-Cuneo may’ve perhaps done better to prune the courtroom proceedings.
Highlights?
True-to-life retelling, honest
Fabulous performances
Technically superb
Drawbacks?
Fact-heavy storytelling, dull at times
Lacks emotional value
Stiff characterisation
Did I Enjoy It?
Mostly, yes
Will You Recommend It?
If you have a taste for shows with a docu flavour
Lockerbie: A Search for Truth Tv Series Review by M9
