Director
Trevor Nunn
Starring
Judi Dench, Sophie Cookson and Stephen Campbell Moore
Taken from the novel of the same name and loosely based on the life story of Melita Norwood, Red Joan is the story of a young Cambridge student in the 1930’s and 40’s who becomes tangled up in the local student Communist Party and becomes a spy for the Soviet Union. Swapping between past and present day, Judi Dench and Sophie Cookson take on the role of Joan Stanley. Cookson plays the idealistic young scientist whose major weakness is her attraction to the charismatic, Soviet revolutionary Leo (played by Tom Hughes). Through Dench we see the seemingly innocent old lady, detailing to her son how his mother came to be apprehended by Government officials in the later years of her life.
The concept of Red Joan is interesting enough and whilst the execution is decent, there’s just something lacking to make it memorable. It almost feels as like the story is just going through the motions with no major twists or surprises that you might expect in a spy drama. This is the first feature film for director Trevor Nunn in over twenty years, and it would seem that he’s better suited to the TV movies and theatre that he is more well-known for. I can’t help but feel that a better experienced film director could have extracted more from the screenplay than Nunn has here.
Despite that apparent lack of pizzazz, there is still a charm to the film, if for no other reason than the setting in which it takes place. Judi Dench also adds a certain level of gravitas, but you have to wonder how many more so-so films she can get away with after the lackluster offerings of Victoria & Abdul and Murder on the Orient Express. Dame Judi has an innate ability to be brilliant, even when used minimally, but unfortunately she didn’t have enough to work with on this occasion.
All in all, Red Joan is a sufficient way to kill 100 minutes, but beyond that, it’s a rather forgettable film, which seems a waste of great acting talent.
2.5 stars
Trailer
RED JOAN
Moviedoc thanks Miranda Brown Publicity for the invite to the screening of this film.
Moviedoc 
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