It is approaching an election in the UK when the leader of the Labour party, John Smith, suffers another in a line of heart attacks and dies. With the leadership campaign about to start the clear choice appears to be Gordon Brown, a stanch Scotsman. However Tony Blair is also beginning to appear more likely as he will appeal to Southern voters who would be turned off by Brown. Blair rings Brown to arrange a meeting to discuss which will go for the job. The film flashbacks to the start of their relationship, sharing an office in Westminster on their first seats.
Acting
Sheen and Morrissey's electric, brittle chemistry
Direction
Frears turns a restaurant into a battlefield
Writing
Peter Morgan's Machiavellian dialogue stings
Director
Stephen Frears
David Morrissey
Gordon Brown
Michael Sheen
Tony Blair
Dexter Fletcher
Charlie Whelan
Frank Kelly
John Smith
Stuart McQuarrie
Scottish MP 1
Ian Hanmore
Scottish MP 2
Paul Rhys
Peter Mandelson
Stuart Bowman
Journalist 1
Gordon Kennedy
John Brown
Elizabeth Berrington
Cherie Blair
David Nicholls
Production Asst
Joanna Scanlan
Sue Nye
Jon Snow
Self
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Michael Sheen played Tony Blair three times—this was his first transformation, predating The Queen by three years.
The real 'Granita deal' remains disputed; Brown's allies always insisted no promises were made, making this entire film speculative psychological fiction dressed as history.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
US
GB
