Chatterbox - still talking nonsense

I was mainly watching TV this month, although there were a few films here and there that caught my attention. The Change - series 2 (streaming C4). Continues on from exactly where we left everyone in series 1. There’s a bit of a magical realism feel about this comedy where Linda (Bridget Christie) leaves her husband and children to take some time back in repayment for all of her unpaid and unappreciated work as a woman, wife and mother over the years.  Menopausal and pissed off, she ends up living in a small backwater in a caravan in the woods.  But she clearly still loves her husband (played subtly to pack the character with subtle unsubtlety by Omid Djalili) and although she finds a male friend he’s not a romantic interest which I love too. Riffing off of Christie's comic fury about the way women are treated, particularly as they get older, it’s also properly funny whilst being a bit misty eyed about the cycle of life too. I also get a bit of a Detectorists vibe from it thro...

Adolescence  ( Series, streaming on Netflix ).  This one made a huge splash but luckily I saw it early on so didn’t know what to expect.  I wanted to watch because of Stephen Graham’s involvement and it definitely delivered.  Each episode was one take, following the arrest of Jamie, a 13 year old boy accused of the murder of Katie, a girl at his school.  The young actor playing Jamie (Owen Cooper) is amazing, particularly in the long scene in episode 3 with the psychologist (Erin Doherty - who is also stunning).  But every actor in this is bringing their A-game.  Over four episodes we see the arrest, then the investigation which shows a pretty depressing but what felt realistic depiction of teenage lives lived half on line, and with uncomprehending adults missing what is under their noses.  It’s particularly focusing on misogyny and toxic masculinity, alongside a clear eyed look at the gulf between parents and children, failures of parenting, fath...