Closed Circuit (2013)

Release date: 2013-08-28
Country: UK|USA
Language: English
Director: John Crowley
Production Co: Focus Features, Working Title Films
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Rating: 6.2/10
Length: 1h 36min

Storyline

It was a typical morning in London when a powerful bomb exploded in the heart of the city. After the smoke cleared, sole surviving terrorist cell member Farroukh Erdogan (Denis Moschitto) was quickly taken into custody. As preparations for his trial begin, however, the government's plan to use classified evidence to prosecute the suspect leads the Attorney General (Jim Broadbent) to appoint Special Advocate Claudia Simmons-Howe (Hall) to the case. Claudia's unique position as a government-approved defense lawyer ensures that she can review the top-secret evidence, and advocate for full disclosure during the inevitable "closed" session portion of the trial. Once Claudia has reviewed the evidence, however, any communication with the defense team and the defendant himself is strictly forbidden. Later, When Erdogan's lawyer dies just before the trial begins, Claudia's driven ex-lover, attorney Martin Rose (Bana), takes his place. Realizing that their previous affair could jeopardize their...

Plot Keywords

eulogy, funeral, prison visit, car crash, female journalist, explosion, terrorist attack, cover up, woman wrapped in a towel, female in a shower, murder, ambulance

Short Review

The film's attempts to expose flaws in the criminal justice system or give insights into the war against terror seem superficial, but Closed Circuit is entertaining in a sub-Hitchcock way.