Product Description

Academy AwardÂ(r) winner* Frances McDormand (Fargo) and Brian Cox (Rob Roy) confront danger and deception at every turn in this "chilling, explosive" (The New York Times)story set in strife-torn Northern Ireland. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Hidden Agenda is a "taut political thriller" (The Hollywood Reporter) that "makes the unthinkable seem all too plausible" (The Washington Post). American activists Paul Sullivan (Brad Dourif) and his fiancÃ(c)e Ingrid Jessner (McDormand) journey to Belfast to probe allegations of brutal human rights abuses by British security forces. When Paul is killed under mysterious circumstances, the official reports list him as an I.R.A. accomplice. But Ingrid and British policeman Paul Kerrigan (Cox) question the findings and begin to uncover a shocking high-level conspiracy. Now, with their safety in jeopardy, they must decide whether to risk everything to reveal the truth. *1996: Actress

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #45045 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-04-16
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 108 minutes

Customer Reviews

Should you trust any government?
Charles deGaulle once observed, "The State is a cold-blooded animal. Often even to it's own people. It must be so in order to survive." This movie is about British agents operating in Ireland to quash any IRA resistance to British rule, by any means necessary and any means possible. To give some semblance of respectability to the investigation of the murder of a U.S. citizen who was in the company of an IRA agent when he was assassinated the British secret police employ a fairmined and respected investigator who really believes he is charged with the responsibility of finding the truth. The closer he gets to the truth the more pressure the secret police put on him to back away. First they use blackmail, then threats to his own life. He is forced at last to betray everyone he has made promises to and return to England without a shread of respectibility. The secret police continue business as usual and set about arresting everyone whose confidence he has gained.
This is a film noir that takes a back seat to none. Be prepared to be angry, depressed and paranoid at the end. Not for the weak in spirit.

Brilliant : a knock out film!
Since Frances Normand's boyfriend is murdered by british forces in North Ireland , she decides to investigate this weird murder , she plays the role of an American human rights activist .
A punch in the middle of the face , because it concerns about a conspiracy , cover up and ambush policial, inspired by similar events in 1980 .
Filmed in documental mood for Ken Loach. Briiliant performances of Frances Mc Dormand and Brian Cox.
One of my favorites political thrillers of the nineties.

Superior political thriller
Ken Loach's Hidden Agenda is likely one of the best political thrillers ever made on the troubles in Northern Ireland. The characters are full and rich; the violence is real; and the political cover-ups and corruption are rife. The acting is solid, the plotting is very strong, and the pace of the film is perfect.

In particular, drawing in not only the Northern Irish, but also the British and the Americans into the story was a truly inspired move. An American lawyer who fights for civil rights throughout the world is murdered by the Northern Irish police under orders from a high level official and all hell breaks loose. Unlike the flimsy, paltry political cover-ups seen in the film "Defense of the Realm" where there are no characters worth caring about, here Brad Dourif as the lawyer, Frances McDormand as his activist girlfriend and especially Brian Cox as the fiercely driven British police officer committed to uncovering the truth make a solid impression on the viewer.

Known for his politically charged films, director Ken Loach here never takes a false step. Cox's character, Peter Kerrigan, relentlessly pursues the truth of the backstory behind the murder of the American lawyer and it's really gripping to watch how things unfold.

This is a first class thriller, one of the best in its class. Very highly recommended.