Appropriate Adult

This article is about the 2011 television film. For the legal term, see Appropriate adult.

Appropriate Adult
Written by	Neil McKay
Directed by	Julian Jarrold
Starring	Dominic West Emily Watson Monica Dolan
Music by	John Lunn
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of episodes	2
Production
Producers	Lisa Gilchrist Jeff Pope
Running time	140 min.
Original release
Network	ITV
Release	4 September 2011 – 11 September 2011

Appropriate Adult is a 2011 television film, starting on ITV in two 90 minute parts from 4th September 2011 starring Dominic West, Emily Watson and Monica Dolan. It is about Gloucester serial killer Fred West and focuses on the events between the Wests' arrests in 1994 and Fred's suicide in Birmingham's Winson Green Prison on New Year's Day, 1995.

Etymology

The film gets its title from the role of Janet Leach in the investigation as an appropriate adult during the questioning of Fred West. The senior investigator wanted to ensure that there could be no suggestion that West did not understand any part of the process, so he had an appropriate adult present at all times.

Cast

• Dominic West as Fred West
• Emily Watson as Janet Leach
• Monica Dolan as Rose West
• Samuel Roukin
• Anthony Flanagan as Mike
• Paul J. Dove as Thomas Smythe, Independent Journalist
• Paula Williamson as Kirsty Stephens
• Sylvestra Le Touzel as DC Hazel Savage
• Robert Whitelock as DC Carl Kempinsky
• Jasper Jacob as Brian Leveson QC
• Michael J. Tait as Detective
• Philip Broadbent as PC Steadman
• Benjamin Knox as A Policeman
• Piers Mettrick as Neighbour
• James Ferguson MacColl as Tony Miles

Production

The film is directed by Julian Jarrold and written by Neil McKay. The production was spearheaded by ITV Executive Producer Jeff Pope who saw this as the concluding feature in a trilogy of films about the most notorious murder cases of the past century (the previous films being the multiple award-winning This Is Personal - The Hunt For The Yorkshire Ripper and See No Evil: The Moors Murders). Like the preceding films, Appropriate Adult was aimed at illuminating the nature of evil by exploring the extremes of human behaviour as a vehicle for identifying the common themes that resonate with us all. Reunited with writer Neil McKay and producer Lisa Gilchrist, Pope ignited a development process in which all aspects of the case were researched and forensically analysed.

Co-producer Kwadjo Dajan meticulously researched and developed the project over four years after establishing contact with Janet Leach and consulting with Gloucester Constabulary. Following the completion of Neil McKay’s script, acclaimed director Julian Jarrold (Kinky Boots, Brideshead Revisited, Red Riding) was added to the team. The drama was filmed over seven weeks in Manchester.

Dominic West's physical resemblance to West was noted during filming and Fred West's daughter Mae West thought he "captured the evil essence of him - his character, his mannerisms, even his gait." Janet Leach found it difficult to approach Dominic in character on set because he was so convincing that it took Leach back 17 years.

Reception

The first episode (of two) was met with positive reviews after it was transmitted on 4 September 2011. Sam Wollaston from The Guardian described it as "beautifully done, not sensational or hysterical.” A later article by Phil Hogan in The Observer and The Guardian described Dominic West's performance as "worryingly close" but said "even with a set of chipped teeth, bad jumper choices and a rattling West Country burr, handsome Dominic couldn't quite conjure the Fred familiar from his demonic police mug shot. What he did conjure, in one impressively seamless personality, were the strange warring traits of a man cheerfully sane and yet not quite there – helpful but manipulative, confiding but controlling, troubled but carefree, a composite that perfectly explained why the police wanted the presence of an "appropriate adult"." Hogan was also impressed with Monica Dolan's highly convincing performance as Rosemary which he described as "literally spitting-mad." Andrew Billen from The Times described it as "mesmerising and inspired," while Matt Bayliss of The Daily Express described it as "sensitively written, ferociously acted and dealing with a true and powerful subject.” It has been tipped as a multiple award-winning drama. However, the Daily Mail described it as one which "deeply divided opinion between those who have hailed it a dramatic tour de force, and a compelling insight into the nature of evil, and those who accuse it of trampling on the graves of Fred West’s victims." The family of Fred West and the son of Janet Leach condemned the series.Fred West's daughter Anne-Marie Davis was disgusted that the film had been made and said it would be deeply traumatic bringing back the memories and would cause "unimaginable distress."

Following its transmission, the programme was criticized by retired Gloucestershire Detective Superintendent John Bennett.

"The series went far beyond any justifiable claims of “dramatic licence” and “simplification” by creating dialogue and scenes which did not take place at all, these just sensationalising the story and not furthering it, wrongly depicting how Janet Leach was treated and her involvement, giving her a kudos she far from deserves"

External links

• Appropriate Adult at IMDb