The Limehouse Golem — A Review

31st March 2019.

It has to be said … it’s been a quiet Sunday night … 

That’s possibly something you’ve already worked out.

If you watched the amount of built in stuttering in the intro video*!

Or if you’ve been follow been me a while: you’ll have possibly realised I’m jobhunting, at the moment.

So?

I spend a lot of time jobhunting, trying to sort out a looming debt crisis, more jobhunting, writing the Daily Teaser … 

Followed by the odd movie, or two.

Occasionally?

I get a chance to watch a TV show.

I like media, in other words: and have a lot stashed away in various places.

Tonight?

I thought was a good time to raid the collection … 

And sat myself down to watch … 

The Limehouse Golem… 

~≈§≈~



Based on the novel by Peter Ackroyd opens at the end: showing us music hall star, Dan Leno (Douglas Booth) telling us of vile deeds done by … The Limehouse Golem.

And that we have to start at the end, to understand them … 

The view shifts back: first, to the bed of playwright, Jack Cree (Sam Reid) … and to the trial of Elizabeth (Olivia Cooke), his wife.

Then introduces us to Inspector John Kildare (Bill Nighy): recently assigned to the case of the serial killer, the Limehouse Golem.

Who’d last took a life within hours of Jack Cree’s death … 

It’s going to be a while before things come out in the wash … 

~≈§≈~

Now … 

Am I going to start raving about The Limehouse Golem?

Not necessarily.

I’m also not going to openly despise it, either.

The Limehouse Golem is actually rather good.

I’m not usually one for historical fiction: mildly ironic, as I do a daily quiz about historical events.

The history in the The Limehouse Golem, on the other hand?   Is a flavouring, rather than the main dish.

That main meal?   Is a nicely done little crime thriller: with twists, turns, assorted theatrical characters, nice scripting … and some very good performances from its (mostly) young cast: Booth and Crook standing out nicely, Nighy doing his usual staunch job, and Daniel Mays† cast very well, for once.

Granted: I don’t think The Limehouse Golem is an Oscar winner.

But it makes for a watchable evening’s entertainment.

The Limehouse Golem
★★☆☆

*        I’m mildly pleased.   I’ve found that you can separate the audio from any video you’re editing in iMovie.   Than copy and paste that audio, and apply separate effects to each layer.   It’s a bit subtle: but the ‘Yeah’ at the end has had some treatment.

†        I’ve not been stunned by some of Mays’ work.   But The Limehouse Golem saw him perfectly cast.