The 2014 BBC television film Common, written by Jimmy McGovern and directed by David Blair, has been described as a hidden gem for fans of gritty legal dramas like Happy Valley and Line of Duty. The 90-minute film centres on 17-year-old Johnjo O'Shea (Nico Mirallegro), who is charged as an accessory to murder after giving a lift to his older brother's friends, unaware that a crime was about to occur.
Plot and Real-Life Inspiration
The plot unfolds when Johnjo agrees to drive his brother's friends to a pizza takeaway. One of the passengers has a grudge against a bystander, Tommy Ward, and a confrontation leads to Tommy being stabbed and killed. Despite Johnjo's lack of involvement in the attack, he is prosecuted under the doctrine of common purpose, part of the UK's controversial Joint Enterprise legal doctrine. This law allows multiple individuals to be convicted for the same crime regardless of their individual roles.
Writer Jimmy McGovern was inspired by the real-life case of 16-year-old Jordan Cunliffe, who was sentenced to a minimum of 12 years for the murder of Garry Newlove in 2007. Cunliffe was not directly involved in the fatal beating but was present during the attack.
Cast and Critical Reception
The film features a strong cast including Michelle Fairley, Susan Lynch, Jodhi May, and Harry Potter alum Michael Gambon. On Rotten Tomatoes, viewers have praised the film as a "simple movie, but powerful all the same" and noted that it "leaves no mother without an emotional pull." One fan called it "so heartbreaking I never want to see it again."
The Guardian described Common as "a brutal and devastating drama" that is "bleak, powerful" and "thick with political intent," though it noted that the political messaging occasionally detracts from the film's quality.
Streaming Availability
Common is currently available to stream on BBC iPlayer. For fans of hard-hitting British crime dramas, this forgotten film offers a compelling and emotional look at a controversial area of law.
