One Night [DVD]

This is one of the classic dramas in the past 10 years.

One night is viewed through the stories of four very different people. It's a story about
misunderstanding what's experienced, about the state of our society, about hopes and
aspirations that are unfulfilled.

It's truly an amazing piece of filming and editing - and screenplay.

You're never really quite sure just what's happened til the last minutes of the fourth episode and, even then, there's more.

This is best viewed in two sittings, interrupted only by a meal. It really deserves to be seen in a single day or else what happens in the first hour taht ties in at the end is possible to be forgotten.

Paul Smith the Writer of One Night BBC One must be congratulated for one of the best dramas on television and for producing an insight to the challenges of living in East London today. Billy Mathews who played the 13 year old Alfie and the rest of the cast produced sensitive and intelligent performances that made me reassess my views of life on an inner city council estate

Well now , its rare that the BBC give us anything but repetitive drivel these days , in a time of endless , pointless , meaningless talent and game shows , ..but this little gem was something rather special.
Its nice to see there are still "plays" being made that portray London as it actually *is* as apposed to the rose coloured "Waterloo Road" way of life , and being from Hackney it was wonderful to see it as it now stands rather than be nostalgic for the "Eastenders" from the 7:30 pre water-shed fiction.
This is a very clever and tragic tale told from four different points of view , and you need to see all four to understand that what you see at "face value" is not always what it appears to be.
It also makes us see our own miss-judgements towards others , and how it's sometimes the most unlikely characters we see each day that do the most surprising things.
This story is moving , almost gripping in the sense that you know the ending but wonder what twists ever got you to that point.
An intelligent observation of life , and morals too ...its life as we see it and this story pulls every punch in letting you into a world of emotion and "attitude of today" in a way that is honest and without pity.
Performance's are good too , Jessica Hynes is wonderful , hard and well deserving of a BAFTA for this character , as is the lovely Georgina Campbell who plays her daughter , a bright future for her awaits.
The last time I saw anything this great was "Harry Brown" a few years ago and if the BBC spent more time creating stuff like this instead of Jessie J helping checkout girls to be famous , the licence fee would be worth its weight in gold..
Still , with Len Goodman telling us about Titanic , and Farming programs being shown at nigh time instead of entertainment ..the BBC can't always get it right but with this , it's a sure winner !
The best drama in real-time for years !!
Oh , and the music is wonderful too , it never tells you who is singing so if anyone knows...please leave a comment !