Paranoia, bombs, and Eric Bana what more do you need? (Closed Circuit movie)

In the shadow of 911, the Bali and London bombings, Eric Bana’s latest movie, Closed Circuit, gives audiences a lot to ponder about …

Closed Circuit © The Ponder Room

Set in inner London where the publics every move is captured on film, how could someone brazenly enter its heart and detonate a bomb?

With suspected terrorist Farroukh Erdogan (Denis Moschitto) in jail within the first few moments of the movie, the drama turns to the legal and political systems.

Closed Circuit © The Ponder Room

Unlike most court-based dramas where countless documents get produced, on this occasion the focus is on one file which, ‘in the interests of national security’, cannot be presented in open court. In fact there’s only one person who can see its contents… Special Advocate Claudia Simmons- Howe (Rebecca Hall).

Simons-Howe gets appointed by the Attorney General played brilliantly, as always, by Jim Broadbent. Once Simons-Howe sees inside the file she cannot communicate with anyone else on the defence team, especially not her ex-lover, defence attorney Martin Rose (Eric Bana).

Closed Circuit © The Ponder Room

With an ex-wife and ex-lover, Rose is an ambitious man. His highly trained lawyer senses go on alert when taxi’s instantly turn up when called. Mind you anyone who’s lived in Perth long enough would be equally suspicious.

This is a very different role for Bana, slick and suited, he pulls it off very well, including the English accent and rowing up the River Thames.

With the contents of the file about to be revealed, Rose and Simons-Howe find themselves at the centre of the biggest case of the century, and in a race for their lives.

Closed Circuit is an international crime thriller that takes an intriguing look at parliamentary inner workings, family loyalty and what constitutes justice. You have to like a movie that makes an audience gasp out loud.