Product Description
"Perhaps the greatest role and performance of a female police detective, ever"--San Francisco Chronicle In yet another subtle, powerful performance, Oscar® winner Helen Mirren truly inhabits the role of Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison. The Final Act finds her searching for Sallie Sturdy, a 14-year-old girl presumed murdered. Facing the hospitalization of her father, descending deeper into alcoholism, and resisting pressure to retire quietly, Tennison vows to bring Sallie's killer to justice before ending her career. Along the way she forges a surprising friendship with Penny Philips (Laura Greenwood), the missing girl's best friend. In the teenager's longing and fierce independence, the aging cop sees something of her younger self. Jane Tennison emerges as a deeply flawed but ultimately sympathetic human being--one who accepts responsibility for her choices, knowing full well the price she and others have paid for each. The Final Act serves as the perfectly fitting conclusion to what some critics have called the best crime series ever televised. DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE 50-minute behind-the-scenes feature, photo gallery, and cast filmographies. Some coarse language and graphic content
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Amazon.com
Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren) has dedicated her life to pursuing criminals and, as she nears retirement, the stresses of the job and of proving herself in the man's world of law enforcement have taken their toll: she has virtually no life of her own as well as a serious alcohol problem. Ever dedicated to her job, Tennison is determined to solve one final case, that of a 14-year old girl Sallie Sturdy (Maxine Barton) who's gone missing, before she retires. Even as Detective Superintendent Tennison's father takes seriously ill and alcohol-induced blackouts hinder her investigative capabilities, Tennison remains resolute in her determination to solve the case. As the investigation progresses, Tennison develops an unusually close relationship with the missing girl's young friend Penny Phillips (Laura Greenwood), seeing much of her younger self in the headstrong girl, and struggles to maintain her focus and use her crime-solving instincts and sharp eye for detail to bring Sallie's killer to justice. In the end, Tennison must also find a way to come to terms with her own alcoholism and impending retirement. Prime Suspect was a groundbreaking British television series because of its portrayal of a powerful woman who dared to aspire to a leadership role in the man's world of police detective work. In the 15 years the series ran (1991-2006), every season tackled politically volatile subject matter, from sexism to racism and homophobia, while maintaining an intense attention to detail and a steadfast commitment to the accurate portrayal of law enforcement's investigative process. It was, one could argue, the precursor to modern crime series like CSI and Law and Order. Fittingly, these final episodes in the Prime Suspect series deal head-on with the controversy of inappropriate relationships between minors and adults. Oscar-winner Helen Mirren gives an incredibly strong performance and is backed by the considerable talents of Laura Greenwood, Stephen Tompkinson (as Sean Phillips), and the rest of the cast. Bonus features include a 45-minute behind the scenes featurette about the entire series, photo gallery, and cast filmographies. --Tami Horiuchi Beyond Prime Suspect 7: The Final Act 
Essentials by Actress: Helen Mirren | 
British Mystery Theater | 
The Prime Suspect series | Stills from Prime Suspect 7: The Final Act (click for larger image)
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 If not the best, close to it. ( santafesprings )
This one will not lift you up. It's not a feel-good movie, but it IS a feel-real one. Of the whole series, it is the only one with decent extras - well, a decent extra. The father's part is a bit over-written, and I could nit-pick a few other things, but I was glued to this, unwilling to endure my usual sporadic watching of movies until the end. It's treatment of alcoholism nicely balances the hopes, progress and setbacks that accompanies treatment programs, from what I've gleaned from others. Finally, the acting is superb. Mirren made this her part and her character.
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Prime Suspect #7
Sorry to see Helen leave the series behind her! Her acting abilities would have carried he far beyond #7, but all good things must come to an end. The series is worth watching over and over again, something I would not normally do. Wonderful acting and directing.
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Super British mystery series ( starlifer )
We first saw "Prime Suspect" on a PBS station and fell in love with the character Jane Tennyson, played by Oscar winner Helen Mirren. I ordered the complete series (seven in all).
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prime suspect 7
this season 7 was everything i expected and more. great dialog, tense scenes, building of characters and climatic surprises. i only hate that this is the LAST one!
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 not my style
I loved the Midsomer Murders series (also British), so I thought I might like this. However, the setting is in the inner city slum areas and the star actress is an alcoholic, so the film was extremely depressing. Unless this wouldn't bother you, give it a pass.
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