Sadly Over-hyped

Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

If you have followed the phone-hacking saga and the demise of NOTW then you will be familiar with the territory of this film. Now satire is not a genre that always results in belly-laughs, but this was a touch disappointing as humour and the satire lacked the incisiveness of real exponents of the genre; it tended to follow predictable story-lines and the acting lacked the 'edge' of a series like 'The Thick of It'. Michael Kitchen plays his relatively small part well and what a contrast from his role as Inspector Foyle - it demonstrates the skill of the actor and must have been fun for him as a role. But fans of Kitchen's Foyle will probably be disappointed; they should not expect this to be a reprise of his mastery of that wise, self-controlled and precisely nuanced character.

We need more of this kind of drama to wake us out of stagnation in this country. This is an excellent one-off film, worthy of re-watching. The acting is brilliant and the plot absolutely spot on. If you don't rate it, you must be one of the people it's intended to get at. Fast paced and so true - of course we know it's true - it was in the papers last year, wasn't it? I think Michael Kitchen must have relished playing Stanhope Feast and he did a very good impersonation of an Australian accent. No-one really got away with anything. Though, isn't it funny how Murdoch suddenly dropped out of the headlines. Very strange that. Well, maybe Hacks will highlight the fact that wherever he is he'll be up to no good. Maybe now we can stop being run by the media and a government who doesn't listen to the people.

Hilarious and spot on. Acting is superb and the writing a gem. Written by Guy Jenkin, co-originator of Drop The Dead Donkey. Just like "Donkey" it is fresh and bang up to date. Hits the bullseye on all its targets, corrupt media barons, editors, tabloids, spiv politicians. I laughed out loud and will view again and again. Absolutely deserves a series. My only disappointment, no appearance by a Max Clifford character. If anyone ever deserves a kicking it is that sleaze-ball. Perhaps if this was developed as a series "Mad Max" could have a whole programme devoted to him. Well done to all concerned. Deserves a far wider viewing than it actually got, late at night tucked away on Channel 4. More please!

With stories taken right out of the NewsCorp phone hacking scandal, "Hacks" is a TV movie (40-odd minutes) based on the running of a British tabloid, that hits the mark and then stamps on it.Fast-paced dialogue and quick cuts make the movie seem like it has action and purpose, which it ultimately does, even though most of it is exposition. The writing is very sharp and the satire keeps on coming.It's much more serious than initially appears and, though it is a comedy, it slips into drama a few times. Being just 40 minutes long means it doesn't outstay its welcome and takes itself as serious as spying on celebrities should be. "They're celebs. If they have a publicist, it's fair game".The cast is amazing, with Claire Foy and Michael Kitchen doing amazing work.It's January 1st and 2012 is already looking good thanks to "Hacks". The only downside is that it will get dated very soon. In a few months, maybe a year, the deeper meaning will be lost and the movie will seem trivial. Nevertheless, it deserves more.