ABOVE AVERAGE

In 1961, Liberal MP Jeremy Thorpe (Hugh Grant) has a romantic affair with a troubled young man, Norman (Ben Whishaw); as Thorpe’s political career takes off, Norman gets back in touch…

The 1970s sex scandal and conspiracy-to-murder trial that ended the career of the Liberal Party leader at the time gets a very, very enjoyable TV treatment, done with a generous amount of dark humor but also a clear understanding of the leading characters and what motivates them.

Grant and Whishaw are brilliant as the politician who has it all and the young, penniless man whose trusting nature makes him vulnerable; Grant and Alex Jennings also have great rapport.

2018-U.K. 169 min. Color. Directed by Stephen Frears. Teleplay: Russell T. Davies. Book: John Preston. Cast: Hugh Grant (Jeremy Thorpe), Ben Whishaw (Norman Josiffe), Monica Dolan (Marion Thorpe), Alice Orr-Ewing, Alex Jennings, Jonathan Hyde.

Trivia: Originally shown in three episodes. Co-executive produced by Frears. Followed by two spin-off miniseries, A Very British Scandal (2021) and A Very Royal Scandal (2024).

Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actor (Whishaw). Golden Globe: Best Supporting Actor (Whishaw).

Last word: “I always thought [Grant would] be the right person. I think he looks rather like Thorpe. He is in his own way quite cadaverous. I think he’s fantastic – staggering – and he’s very funny of course. Thorpe was a funny man and the whole thing is so ludicrous, so he could both play it dramatically and on a comic level as well. That’s what’s so good about him.” (Frears, BBC)