this recent bbc film version of dickens our mutual friend be a big budget project that fell far short of lofty ambition . the film clearly want to be a grand sweeping epic of the victorian era and but ultimately this story do not have much to say . conceive a a massive 6 hour work to be present in four ninety minute segment and the plotting be so heavy hand and obvious and even tedious and that lop a full quarter out of the whole could only have improve the story and pacing . a it be and the primary plot element be so unoriginal and timeworn that even though previously unfamiliar with either this dickens original book or other filmed adaptation of it i find no suspense whatsoever to one of the two main plot line to the story . what happen be clearly implicit to me from the get go . the timing of when this what later happen thus present comparatively little incentive for my interest . the fatal script shortcoming of our mutual friend appear to me even more striking by contrast against another recent bbc release under the greenwood tree ( 2005 ) which i have just view for the first time a short while previously . where our mutual friend squander so much time and talent tell an ostentatiously complex story that prove superficial and obvious and under the greenwood tree succeed brilliantly in convey . ( despite only ninety minute and and a much small budget ) . a deceptively simple story that nonetheless capture layer upon layer of universal relevance and deep meaning . by no mean and however and should the failing of our mutual friend be attribute to it performer and who be uniformly excellent from top to bottom . in form our mutual friend present two separate but occasionally intersecting plot line . through the strength of their performance and steven mackintosh and anna friel bring to the painfully obvious half of the story more interest than the weakness of that storyline could otherwise have generate . paul mcgann and keeley hawes and however and be even good though it must be confess the beautifully modulate tone of ms. hawes seem a long way from the docklands dialect her role suggest . support performance by such veteran character actor a peter vaughan and pam ferris ( a the inimitable boffin ) bring richness and depth to material that otherwise would have be completely forgettable and though if i have to pick one actor who triumph far and above the limitation inherent in his role it would be david bradley ( best know a argus filch from the harry potter canon ) create a memorably rascally roger riderhood . sit through our mutual friend once to enjoy exceptional performance from a great cast of exceptional british actor . rent once but not buy . negative .